


The Ninth member

by theWholeShebang



Category: Ocean's 8 (2018)
Genre: F/F, Polyamory, Prison, and my own character, the whole gang - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-20
Updated: 2019-06-06
Packaged: 2019-11-26 10:55:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 23,275
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18179678
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theWholeShebang/pseuds/theWholeShebang
Summary: 'I was just wondering this one thing', mused Amita out loud. 'Who was hanging upside down the ceiling to steal the jewels from the exhibition?'The story of the ninth member, pretty canon except that Yen didn't participate in the heist but one more badass woman. Focuses on Debbie's time in prison as well.





	1. Number 9

'I was just wondering this one thing', mused Amita out loud to the other seven women lazily hanging around Lou's loft. It was the day after they had celebrated their completed heist and Claude Becker's downfall and the women felt their heads still banging from last night's party.  
'Who was hanging upside down the ceiling to steal the jewels from the exhibition?'  
Debbie smiled brightly at Amita.

'I love your timing, I was waiting for someone to ask that. There was someone else involved. She is coming by this afternoon'.

  
'Yeah it is noon already, you lazy guys slept half the day, so Maddie should be here soon', came Lou's voice from the kitchen.

Debbie hummed happily. Nineball just raised her eyebrows at Amita, who was this Maddie?

Lou could feel the anticipation of their heist group waiting for Maddie's arrival. She knew that Debbie was especially anxious to see Maddie after all this time. They did not have to wait long because just after their late breakfast/lunch, Maddie walked in. She looked very pretty and Lou suspected she had put the effort in, because she was seeing Debbie again for the first time since her release from prison. Her red curls bouncier than ever, her bangs nonchalantly falling on her forehead. She was wearing a breezy white short sleeved blouse and mom jeans. She looked great in it, but Lou knew she was wearing it to hide her many many bruises.

Debbie let out a very uncharacteristic squeal and leapt up to hug Maddie.

'Easy, Ocean', Maddie winced, softly prying out of the hug.

'O yes, how are you?', Debbie did not wait for an answer and just lifted the blouse up revealing a very black and blue stomach. She hissed.

'It had to look bad, that was kind of the point', said Maddie.

'Jesus.' Debbie softly let her finger go over a bruised rib.

Lou stepped in. 'Kindly stop undressing Maddie in front of strangers, Deb, and introduce her to the gang.'

  
Debbie turned so she and Maddie were both facing the group, but still hold on to her. Lou loved how comfortable the two of them looked together.

'Maddie meet the gang, gang meet Maddie', said Debbie as Maddie gave a little wave.

'So, how do you two know each other?', asked Rose.

'Why do you look like a truck ran you over?', asked Constance at the same time.

Lou decided the easier of the two questions. 'Debbie and Maddie were bunkmates.'

'What, like in college?', came Constance. Everybody turned to look at her, their faces betraying how stupid they found that question. Maddie was obviously way younger than Debbie. Who also never attended a college.  
'

I'm guessing prison', said Tammy. And Debbie nodded.

'What were you in for?', asked Constance, her bluntness yet again earning her a look from the group.

'Well, I wasn't arrested for fraud which my asshole boyfriend committed, if that's what you're asking', came Maddie's light reply as she set herself at the table. 'Is there some food left?'  
Debbie threw a napkin at Maddie in mock anger. Lou just snorted.

'That was not what I was asking', muttered Constance, but Tammy threw her a strict look, telling her to shut up and threw some leftover food on a plate to give to Maddie.

\--

_Almost six year earlier_

'Your new bunkie is here, Stone', said officer Blazier, walking into the cell. Maddie lifted herself up on her elbows to look over the edge of her bed. Behind officer Blazier stood Debbie Ocean, holding her bedding and her hygiene kit. Maddie noticed that her new cellmate looked very pale and a little nervous. Maddie herself felt also nervous; in prison first impressions were very important. Her new cellmate was taller and older but that did not mean that she was going to let her boss her around. She gave Debbie Ocean a very nonchalant hi and then lied back down and pretended to read her book.

Blazier was talking Debbie Ocean through the basic rules of prison while Debbie made her bed. Maddie patiently waited until he was finished.

'Officer Blazier', Maddie started, when the prison guard started to walk away. 'Is Valentina feeling better yet?'

Blazier turned around facing Maddie, his eyes lighting up thinking about his daughter. 'She is better now, thank you.'

'That is good, children should not be in pain.' Maddie replied in a sweet voice. He gave her a friendly nod and left the cell.

'So what are you in for?', asked Debbie, she stood against the wall opposite the bunk beds. Maddie noticed her confidence striking up the conversation, as if she was the kind of woman who was usually liked. Maddie, however, was not impressed. Even though she was secretly glad that the other woman had started a conversation, she gave a dramatic sigh as put her book away.

'First time in prison then?', she said, unimpressed. She saw a flash of worry in Debbie's eyes and she felt sorry for her. First days in prison were the worst, to feel completely powerless. She imaged it must be even worse for Debbie, who was usually in complete control over the situation. Cozy as she was with the prison guards, she had been let known beforehand that her new cellmate was Debbie Ocean, a convicted con-artist.

In the real world Debbie would have the advantage, but after four years inside, Maddie felt like she had the control in here. She was not going to abuse that power, but as one of the youngest in the prison she had learned to come over as someone not to be messed with. Once that message was clear, she could become friendlier with Debbie. Something she was looking forward to for she knew Debbie Ocean could teach her a lot.

'Okay newbie, this is the thing', she told Debbie. 'It is very rude to ask someone what they are in for. That is a private question.'

Debbie gave a small nod and Maddie took notice of her calm demeanor.

'You seem pretty cozy with the guards', noted Debbie. 'So I am assuming that you know what I am in for. That is not fair.'

Maddie sucked in some breath. Debbie had already taken notice of her relationship with the guards. She felt like she and Debbie Ocean were playing a game.  
'Life is not fair, honey.', she answered.

Debbie gave a soft chuckle. 'Come on, you can do better than that cliché answer.'

Maddie felt like she was losing whatever game they were playing.  
'I killed someone, Ocean.'

The smile quickly disappeared from Debbie's face. She just stared at Maddie. Maddie felt like she had won this round and picked up her book again, resuming her pretend reading.  
It took Debbie thirty seconds to formulate her next sentence.

'So how long are you in here for still?'

'Five more years, so that means that for the most part of your six years, you get to spend it with my pleasant company', answered Maddie, not even looking up from her book.

\--  
They did not talk much again that night. Maddie felt like she should give Debbie some time to adjust to prison. Debbie was quiet because for the first time in a long time she was feeling out of her debt.  
It was a few minutes before the cells closed down and Maddie was lying in her bed already, when their cell door was kicked open and three heavily tattooed women stormed into their room. One of them grabbed Debbie and shoved her against the wall, pushing a shiv against her cheek, one arm across her neck.

'Little birdie told us we got an Ocean in our presence', said the woman. 'But you are not going to be trouble to me like your brother was to my husband now, are we?'  
She tugged Debbie's hair. 'Are we?'.

Debbie managed to shake her head and the woman let go of her. She spat at Debbie's face and turned to leave the cell. One of the other women gave Debbie one last punch in her stomach while the last one turned to Maddie.

'You saw nothing!'.

  
Maddie shook her head and raised her hands innocence. They all left the cell. Just a few seconds later the intercom told them it was lights out and the cell doors all clicked on lock.


	2. You can ask

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 'Yes, that is us', she shook the doctor's hand and came straight to business. 'so we have this very strange request.'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you like the flashbacks, I am not sure if it is too much flashback.  
> Maybe a trigger warning for drugs in this chapter.

Almost six years earlier

Maddie lay on her back looking at the dark ceiling listening to the sounds of her bunkmate climbing into the bed beneath her. She thought she knew what was going to happen next. She did not have to wait long until she heard the muffled sobs. Maddie was pretty sure everyone cried on their first night in prison, even those who had not been shaken up by other prisoners, minutes before night time. Since the three ladies had provided the stick, she felt she should give Debbie the carrot. Softly she climbed down and sat down on her knees on the cold floor next to Debbie's bed.

'Hey, hey', she whispered softly. Debbie was lying on her side, facing the wall, pushing her face into her pillow to stifle her crying. 'it is going to get better.'  
Debbie's shoulders just shook harder.

'First day in prison sucks', Maddie continued, gently rubbing Debbie's shoulder.

'Hmmf, smff, ', She heard some muffled sounds coming from Debbie's pillow, but she could not make out what Debbie was saying.  
'Get your mouth out of that pillow, Ocean,' Maddie said not unkind, brushing her fingers through Debbie's hair.  
Debbie turned around to face her.

'Is the second day any better?', she repeated her question, a ghost of a smirk playing up on her tear-stained face, like she just had made a great comeback. She really admired Debbie's ability to always try to have the last word.

'Well no, the second day is going to be just as bad, and so is every day after, but you know, you get used to feeling shitty after a while…' Maddie's fingers were still playing with Debbie's hair.

'Great pep talk', muttered Debbie, but the tears had stopped. They just sat there in silence for a while, Maddie's fingers stroking Debbie's hair in soft soothing motions.

'What did your brother do to piss Hermosa's husband off?', Maddie asked after a few minutes.

Debbie let out a shaky breath. 'Dunno. But my brother pisses of a lot of people on a daily basis.'

'Hermosa should not be a big problem, she is almost out.', said Maddie.

Debbie stared at Maddie's face intensely. 'Can I ask you a private question?', she asked, while gently prying Maddie's hand out of her hair. She did not let go of Maddie's hand, she was just holding it.

'You can ask, can't promise I will answer.', quipped Maddie but she was pretty sure she was going to answer. It was pretty pathetic how much she was enjoying this conversation. Prison had been lonely.

'How long have you been here already?', asked Debbie softly, her thumb grazing over Maddie's knuckles.

'One year in juvie and then three years in this swanky place', she replied.  
She saw how Debbie's big brown eyes looked at her with sympathy and she was not sure how she felt about that. Debbie seemed to sense her discomfort under her gaze and looked down on their touching hands.

'What did you do to end up in this swanky place?', asked Debbie. Maddie noticed she tried to keep her tone light, but both women knew this was not a light question.

'Newbie, did I just not tell you this afternoon about the rule not to ask people about their crimes?', Maddie tried to sound strict, but she was very distracted by their touching hands.

'I almost never play by the rules, replied Debbie and she brought Maddie's hand up to her mouth and placed one tender kiss on it.  
Just by that one move, Maddie felt her breathing become rushed. Prison had made her that starved for attention.  
She quickly pulled her hand out of Debbie's and felt the need to start talking to distract both of them from her awkward move.

'Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me' she mumbled rushed.  
Debbie gave her a confused look.

'Is that a riddle?'  
Maddie just gave Debbie a hard stare in the dark. She did not want to tell anyone about what happened, but she did kind of want someone to know about what happened. Debbie looked into her eyes for more than a minute.

'Someone hurt you and when they tried to do it again you killed them.', Debbie stated after a while.  
Maddie felt like the air got stuck in her throat. Why was she giving the woman so much information? She did not trust her voice, so she just nodded.

'You really killed someone?'  
This time it was Maddie who felt tears prickling in her eyes. She looked down, hoping that Debbie would not notice in the semi-dark of their cell. This conversation had become too emotional.

'I stabbed him, didn't know he would die', she said trying to keep her voice unbothered. Debbie seemed to sense her emotional state and Maddie did not like that one bit. She stood up and climbed into her top bed, feeling they had both experienced enough emotions for one night.  
Maddie lay in bed, utterly confused. What had happened? She felt like she had shared more with this woman in the last few minutes than she had with anyone else in the last few years.  
It was only later, right before she fell asleep, that she realized that Debbie might have been playing her. As a con-artist Debbie knew exactly how to play people and get what she wanted. Had Debbie only grabbed her hand and played nice because she had wanted to know with what kind of criminal she was sharing her cell with?

\--  
Present

Debbie could not help keeping the smile on her face watching Maddie across her eating her food. After all those years in one cell, she could read Maddie's face better than anyone in the world. She had to admit that Maddie's face had changed a bit in the months they had not seen each other. For the better. Less skinny, more freckled. But still, she knew what was going on in the girl's mind. Outwardly Maddie may look very cool, but she knew Maddie was feeling very nervous about meeting this group of new women. She could also tell that Maddie was in pain, not only because she could see the wound on the edge of her hair or the barely concealed bruises on her face but by the way her eyebrows were knitted together. She felt a pang of guilt going through her heart.  
Maddie's eyes looked up from her plate and met with Debbie's. Maddie cocked an eyebrow.

'What ya looking at, Ocean?', asked the redhead.  
'You.', replied Debbie. 'You look better outside prison.'

Maddie gave her a small smile. 'Yeah, the orange uniform did not go great with my hair.' Then she smirked, 'You do still look old, even outside prison.'

Debbie pretended to be offended. 'Fuck you.'  
The look Maddie gave at that last response send a small shiver down her back.

An awkward silence fell over the room. The others were all sending each other silent looks, trying to find out what was happening between Debbie and Maddie. Debbie was relieved when Lou stepped in and did a quick round of names.  
After exchanging more hi's and welcome's, the awkward vibe had calmed down and Debbie noticed that the smile on Maddie's face had become bigger and more genuine.

Maddie turned to Lou. 'So where is the champagne I was promised?'  
A groan came from Tammy, who was still too hungover to think about a new intake of alcohol. The rest of the gang seemed quite happy about more champagne, so Debbie stood up to get a bottle and glasses.  
When she returned she noticed Lou did not seem too enthusiastic about the alcohol intake either.

'Are you still hungover?', she asked quietly. But Lou shook her head.  
'I am not sure that Maddie should combine her pain medication with alcohol.', explained the blonde.  
Debbie looked at the bottle in her hand with a bit of guilt. She had not thought of that.

'I am sure Maddie can decide that herself, right?', she said to Lou, but it was more of a question.

'And I am sure that Maddie would not like people talking about her as if she wasn't there.', came a third voice. Debbie looked at Maddie who had joined their conversation. She took the bottle from Debbie with a huff and poured herself a glass. When the task was done she looked up to Lou with a very serious look.

'I stopped the pain medication', she said. 'I was not joking the other day.' Lou and Maddie locked eyes in understanding and Lou gave a small nod.  
Debbie had no idea what was going on and she did not like it.

\--

One month earlier

'Are you nervous?', asked Lou looking at the redhead next to her. The younger woman did not trust her voice, so she just shook her head. But the way she grabbed Lou's hand tighter told her that she was indeed very nervous, and Lou could not blame her. She tried to formulate a sentence to put the girl at ease but before she could come up with the right words a man walked in.  
'

Good afternoon', said the man with a heavy German accent. 'You are the friends of Debbie, yes?'.  
Lou shared one look with Maddie and almost burst out laughing. The man with the bushy mustache in combination with the doctor's coat and the German accent gave this whole thing a surreal vibe.

'Yes, that is us', she shook the doctor's hand and came straight to business. 'so we have this very strange request.'

The doctor raised one eyebrow and with that action also half of his mustache. Lou heard a smothered giggle from Maddie. 'I highly doubt that, all my requests are strange.'  
Lou was taken back by his confidence for a split second, before she regained herself. She explained to the doctor that they needed pain medication that was strong enough to make an injured Maddie able to move freely for a couple of hours.

The doctor was indeed not taken back by that request and turned to Maddie.  
'That is very possible. I can come up with some concoction that can numb the pain. I will need to know your height and weight and a few medical details, so I can determine which medication will work best for you. Is it okay if Miss Miller stays in the room for that?'  
Lou felt Maddie's eyes on her as the girl seemed to consider the question.

'That's okay', she replied.

The doctor was more thorough in his questions than Lou had anticipated. He asked a lot of details. He wanted to know the medication Maddie had taken in the last few years, the childhood diseases she had had and even more. Lou could see that Maddie was not so sure any more about Lou staying in the room. Even though the details shared were not very shocking or revealing, she knew that Maddie disliked disclosing much about herself. The way Maddie kept to herself and liked to know more about other people, than she liked other people to know about herself reminded Lou of Debbie. Both women were quite private.  
So as a curtesy to Maddie she tried zone the questions out a bit and just looked at one of the posters above the doctor's desk.  
The next question, however, caught her attention.

'Have you ever been pregnant?', asked the doctor, while checking something on his list. Maddie stayed quiet. The doctor looked up from his list.  
'Miss Stone?', prompted the doctor, quite oblivious from the tense atmosphere between Maddie and Lou.

Maddie glanced over at Lou and seemed to decide that she was going to ignore the older woman. Maddie focused completely on the doctor.

'Uhm, I was pregnant but had an abortion.', she told the doctor, trying to ignore the blonde in the corner of her eyes.

'I see', said the doctor, ticking of some other box on the paper. 'and how was the pregnancy terminated?'

Maddie let out a frustrated sigh. 'Does it matter? It was twelve years ago.'

The doctor looked up from his papers, a bit surprised by Maddie's attitude maybe. 'No, I suppose that it is not relevant now.'

Lou was taken aback by Maddie's answer. 'Twelve years ago you were like 14.' She said not really believing what she was hearing.

Maddie shot her a cold look. 'I know Lou, I can do the math.'  
'

Ah, I see that it is a touchy subject.', said the doctor in his heavy accent. 'I will drop it. All I need to know is if it was done by a real medical professional.'

Maddie huffed. 'Like you are a real medical professional? It was done properly at a clinic. No complications.'

Maddie was still avoiding Lou's eyes.

'I am a real doctor, I just don't work in the hospitals', said the doctor, who did not seem impressed by Maddie's behavior. 'Last question, is there a history of substance abuse in your family?'

Maddie tensed up. By the way the redhead completed turned her back to Lou, zoning the other woman out, Lou could already tell what the answer was.

'My dad liked the bottle,' started the girl. 'But who doesn't? My mom, uhm, she was a drug addict.' Maddie fell quiet for a bit. 'Is a drug addict.'

The doctor seemed unaware of his effect on Maddie. 'What kind of drugs, miss Stone?'

Maddie threw her head back, frustrated by yet another question. 'I don't know.', she spat angrily. 'I was seven, didn't ask what it was. Something you can shot in your arm, that is all I remember.'

The doctor looked at Maddie, but seemed to sense that he should stop the questioning. Lou could not see Maddie's face but the doctor seemed taken aback by the look Maddie gave him. He busied himself with his papers for a minute.

'This is how we are going to do this', he started after a while, addressing both women. Lou took a step forward to join the conversation. 'There is going to be an injection for miss Stone and I will also have some pills she can take. It is going to be a heavy dose and I want the both of you to take that serious. The pain your body is going to experience prevents you from hurting it further, but when you take the medication the chance of hurting yourself more increases because you won't feel the pain. Be very careful.'

The doctor turned to Maddie now.  
'Miss Stone, I am a little worried about your family's history with addiction. In the hospital they may give you a button to push to give yourself more pain killer, I must urge you to be very careful with that because they don't take the illegal shot you get from me into account. It is easy to overindulge in that way. The pills should not be taken with alcohol and please try to not depend on them for too long.'  
Lou listened with increased worry. Should Maddie be doing this?

'Don't worry, I will not become an addict.', came Maddie's voice and it sounded like a promise.  
The doctor seemed satisfied with Maddie's reply and gave a content nod.

'What do we owe you, doctor?', asked Lou and grabbed her wallet. She noticed that Maddie was still not looking at her even though the girl was standing next to her now.  
She paid the doctor, who gave them a very friendly price ('tell Debbie I said hi'). Lou turned to grab the injection-cocktail the doctor had mixed together, but the doctor grabbed it first.

'O no, Miss Miller', he said. 'We may not have met before, but Debbie has told me about you. I am not giving you the bottle, you can collect it the morning of the 7th of May.'  
This time it was Lou who avoided Maddie's gaze.

\--

Both Maddie and Lou were silent in the car on their way back. Lou knew that Maddie still felt a bit embarrassed after sharing so much about her past with herself and a stranger. So even though she wanted to ask about some of the things she heard, she stayed quiet.

It was Maddie who broke the silence. 'Why did the doctor not give us the bottle already?', she asked.  
Lou took a deep breath. She knew why but she did not particularly want to share the reason. Yet, she felt that sharing something about herself would make Maddie a bit less uncomfortable.

'I suppose because he knows that I used to be addicted.', she answered the question. She kept her eyes on the road but did see that Maddie was watching her with interest.  
'So, I think that the doctor did not trust me to not use the drugs myself.'

'Was he right?', asked the younger woman. Lou glanced at Maddie and saw that she was very interested in the conversation. Maddie was sitting sideways in her seat, back to the door and intently watching her.  
Lou thought about the question. 'I would have been tempted', she admitted. 'But I would have never taken your medicine, because I would never wanted to hurt you.'  
Maddie was watching Lou as if she saw her for the first time. Her eyes were darting over Lou's face. Lou could tell that there were a hundred questions on the girl's mind. She locked her eyes on Maddie's.

'You can ask.', Lou said.  
Maddie opened her mouth but closed it before a sound had come out. She was quiet for a while.

'Why do people feel drawn to drugs?', asked Maddie finally. 'Why take something that is only going to cause harm?'  
Lou could feel the weight of the question and focused on the road because she found talking easier without eye contact.

'I can only tell for myself, but I think the harm they can possibly do is part of what makes it so thrilling. It is liberating to not care about yourself. Sometimes the drugs were a way of punishing myself. I..', she fell silent. She swallowed. 'I think I took the drugs because I cared less about myself than I cared about the thrill the drugs were going to give me.'

'But other people may care more about you. You can't just decide whether or not you can fuck yourself up. You are hurting other people.', Maddie sounded very serious.  
Lou thought about Debbie and the pain her behavior had caused the brunette. 'I know.', she sighed.  
They were silent for a few minutes. Maddie shifted in her seat, both legs on the seat and she looked out of her window. Lou thought that their talk was over but then the redhead opened her mouth.

'You can ask', she said, mimicking Lou's words from earlier. Lou was taken aback, she had not expected Maddie to open up willingly. This was a rare opportunity and there were many things Lou wanted to ask. In the end she did not go for a question about Maddie's past.

'Should I be worried about you coming in contact with drugs?', she asked Maddie.

'No.' Maddie sounded very sure. 'When I was young, my dad always told me that my mom was the prettiest woman on earth. He'd tell me stories about how all the boys in school liked her and how jealous everyone was when my dad ended up with her. He said she was like a princess'

Lou smiled a little, if Maddie's mom looked anything like Maddie, she had no trouble believing that she had indeed been very pretty.

Maddie continued. 'And I never understood who he was talking about, because the mom I knew was not pretty. My mom missed most of her teeth, had really filthy hair most of the time and her skin did not look like human skin. I always was a little scared of her. Because she smelled and once I saw her put a man's dingdong in her mouth. So, I thought that drugs turned princesses in the monster my mom was. So, no, I am not afraid that I am going to like the drugs too much.' She let out a wry chuckle. 'The seven-year-old in me is going to be afraid that the drugs are going to make my teeth fall out maybe.'  
Maddie turned to Lou.

'Have you ever heard the sound a baby makes when he goes through drugs withdrawal?', she asked Lou.  
Lou shook her head, but she felt a shiver running over her back.

'Well, I have.' Maddie sounded angry. 'Drugs are fucking evil. Count me out.'


	3. Bruised

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 'Lou paid some guys to beat her up', Debbie explained, but the grin on her face betrayed that she knew that that was hardly clarifying things up.  
> 'Yeah.', quipped Maddie. 'That happens if you piss the Australian off.'

Present

'Guys', came Constance's whiny voice. 'Can someone please tell us what happened to Maddie?'. The three women in the corner, shared a look between them. Maddie gave a small nod.

'Lou paid some guys to beat her up', Debbie explained, but the grin on her face betrayed that she knew that that was hardly clarifying things up.

'Yeah.', quipped Maddie. 'That happens if you piss the Australian off.' She and Debbie both giggled and Lou rolled her eyes in annoyance. She was both amused and irritated by the way Debbie and Maddie acted like two giggling children.

'Not what happened'. Lou felt the need to clarify because Rose looked seriously freaked out.

Debbie was enjoying teasing Lou a bit more. 'It is true. You did pay someone to beat her up, didn't you?'  
Lou opened her mouth to protest, but had to close it, because technically, she had paid someone to beat Maddie up. Debbie was grinning at Lou's perplexed face. Lou really was no fan of Debbie and Maddie teaming up against her. Luckily Maddie came to her rescue.

'Lou paid some guys to beat me up, so the real bad guys could not beat me up, because by then I was already in the hospital. And the whole plan of beating me up was Debbie's idea.'  
Maddie gave Debbie a playful slap against her arm. 'So a bit of remorse from your side wouldn't hurt.'

Debbie kissed Maddie on her cheek. 'I am sorry baby.'

Lou felt a strong urge to bend down and kiss Maddie on her other cheek, so she did. 'I am sorry too.', she said.

Maddie smiled brightly and looked at Constance, Amita, Rose, Daphne, Nineball and Tammy, who looked completely confused by the scene playing out in front of them.  
She raised one eyebrow. 'I am not. It earned me more than 30 million dollars!'

'So who did you piss off?', asked Tammy, who was the first to regain herself.

\--

3 months before

Lou was a bit startled by the person sitting on her door step. In the dusk it was hard to see everything that lurked in the shadows.

'Maddie?', she questioned but by now she had recognized the girl who was currently living with her. 'What are you doing here?'

The redhead let out a humorless laugh. 'I'm having a really bad day.'  
Lou stepped over the woman. 'But why aren't you inside?', she asked, while unlocking the front door.

'I forgot my keys.' said Maddie. Lou was surprised because locked doors usually did not pose a problem for the younger woman.

'Is that why you are having a bad day?', she asked. Lou opened the door and stepped inside.  
'It's on the list.' noted Maddie as she followed the woman inside.

In the light of the hallway, Lou could see Maddie a bit better.

'What the hell?', she exclaimed. Maddie looked like shit. There was blood and dirt on her white t-shirt. Her lip was busted. There trickled some blood on her arm. Lou looked closer and saw some nasty cuts on Maddie's right hand. That explained why Maddie had not picked the lock, she thought to herself.  
'What happened?', she asked.

Only Maddie's eyes betrayed how upset she was. 'I am having a really bad day', she repeated. Lou gently steered Maddie into the kitchen area of the loft and stood the girl against the counter. She turned to open the cupboard with the first aid kit. By the time she had collected the stuff, Maddie had hoisted herself up on the counter and was waiting patiently for Lou to fix her up.  
Lou wetted a towel and began by wiping the blood and dirt off Maddie's face. There were some scratches on her face and her knees were grazed but apart from the hand, it did not seem too serious.

'My dad owes 200.000 dollars to the wrong people.', Maddie said to the top of Lou's head, who was bend over, putting some disinfecting on her knees.

'Why don't they harass your dad then?', asked Lou.

'He is dead.', said the young woman. 'Leaving me to deal with his shit.'

Lou was silent for a while, cleaning up all Maddie's minor injuries. Once she was satisfied that everything was cleaned, she turned her attention to Maddie's hand. The hand was bruised, one nail was torn off and bleeding profusely and there were some cuts. She gently lifted the hand. Maddie hissed in pain.

'Someone stepped on it.', explained the redhead.

'Look like someone stamped on it, repeatedly.', noted Lou and Maddie's face told her that that was exactly what happened.  
Lou did not like the look of it. She started by washing the blood off and though everything looked painful, it did not seem like there was any long-lasting damage.

'Your hand is going to be sore for a while.', said Lou once she was done patching everything up. Maddie gave a nod of understanding.

'They need 50.000 by the end of the month or they are going to be real pissed.', Maddie confessed softly. The redhead let out a shaky breath and Lou could tell how upset she was.  
Lou winced, she did not want to imagine what would happen if these people were really pissed.

'I can give you the money', Lou said it instantly.  
Maddie looked at Lou's face closely before putting two fingers under Lou's chin, gently tugging Lou's face toward her own.

'Thanks', she whispered before pulling Lou in for a kiss.  
Lou broke the kiss of before things became too heated, because she was afraid to open up the wound on Maddie's lip, but she did not move her face far away, enjoying their closeness.

'I will pay you back once I have the money from Debbie's big secret scheme.', promised Maddie.  
Lou shook her head, indicating that she did not care about repayment.

'Speaking of Debbie,' started Maddie, 'She is going to be out in two weeks.'

Lou's head jerked up. 'She has four months left to her sentence', said the blonde, who felt herself suddenly become a bit breathless.

'They are gonna let her out on parole.'

'How do you know?', asked Lou surprised.

'That is part two of my really bad day', explained Maddie. 'I had a visit from the feds today.'

'What?', Lou was struggling to understand.

'Two cops cornered me this morning. Telling me that Debbie is going to be out. They had this "crazy" idea that Deb was planning some other crime already and were wondering if maybe I could help them figure out what it is.'

Lou started pacing the room. 'Shit.'

'Shit.', Maddie agreed. 'I told them that I didn't know anything, that I wasn't interested in the criminal lifestyle and all. But they knew a lot about me, Lou. They knew that I work at your club and that I live here.'

Lou could tell from Maddie's voice that she was a little bit panicked.

'So, I don't think they bought it.', Maddie sounded defeated and Lou wished she was able to provide some comfort to the girl.

'And what if you don't help them?', asked Lou.

'Well, I am still on probation and they hinted that they can always find a reason or technicality to send me back to prison.' Maddie physically shuddered at the thought of going back. 'They seemed to know about my father's debt and they offered to pay it off if I helped them.'

'And a few hours later the bookmakers find you', huffed Lou. 'Highly suspicious.'

'Yeah, putting pressure on me.'

Lou pulled Maddie in for a hug. 'We'll figure something out.'

'They also promised to lift the restraining order', Maddie confessed softly. Lou did not know what to say, so she just hugged Maddie closer.

\--

Present

'If I understand correctly. Lou paid someone to beat Maddie up, so the bookmakers could not do it and she timed it so that Maddie was in the hospital during the crime, giving her the best alibi possible, so she did not have to rat Debbie out to the FBI.', summarized Tammy after Lou with some help from Debbie and Maddie had explained the scheme.

'Correct', nodded Lou.

'But how did you manage to steal the jewelry while being injured?', asked Amita.

'Loads of morphine', confessed Maddie.

'You are badass', shouted Constance, she sounded impressed.

'Okay', Debbie clapped her hands together. 'everyone satisfied?'

She knew that Maddie was not enjoying all the attention in the room being focused on her, so she gave her an out. 'Don't you need to unpack your stuff now that your home again?'  
Maddie smiled at the word home and gave a nod, glad that she could leave the room for a while.

'Let me help', offered Tammy. 'I think I am the one who crashed in your room.' She had put two and two together now, since the spare room she had slept in during her stay in the city had contained some stuff that in hindsight did not belong to Lou or Debbie.

She and Maddie walked upstairs with Maddie's bag. There was a bit of an awkward silence between them and Maddie wished she was better with people. It was one of the many things prison had messed up for her. She was very wary of meeting new women, always felt kind of threatened by them. Always felt like she had to proof that she was tough or something.  
Luckily Tammy seemed to understand that Maddie was a bit closed off, so she started the conversation.

'How did you end up at Lou's place then?', the soccer-mom asked.

\--

11 months earlier

'What are you pacing the room for?', asked Debbie, with a hint of annoyance. She and Maddie had been cooped up in their cell for way too long. The prison was on lockdown because a screwdriver or something had disappeared from the work place. She was very fond of Maddie, but the girl was getting on her nerves. Debbie was lying on her bunk, thinking her heist over for the millionth time but it was hard to focus when Maddie was bustling about in the corner of her eyes.

'I am getting out in less than a week', said Maddie. Debbie felt the knot in her stomach tighten, a very selfish part of that was not looking forward to Maddie's release.

'I know', said Debbie, while sitting up so she could face her cell mate. 'I was there when they told you the date, wasn't I.' She did not understand why Maddie was looking so flustered.  
'What's the problem?', she asked. Maddie stopped her pacing to face Debbie.

'I am getting out in less than a week.', repeated the red-haired woman.

Debbie felt anger rise within her. 'How is that a problem?'  
Maddie just looked at her with a pained expression on her face. Debbie was not there for it.

'You want me to feel sorry that you are getting out?'. Her last words were almost shouted. Maddie was rubbing her the wrong way now. Debbie actually felt way more sorry for herself and the fact that she still had many months left to her sentence.

'I know, I know', mumbled Maddie, one hand worriedly going through her hair. 'forget it.'

But Debbie could not forget it, because she was far too bored. She decided to continue the conversation, because at this point even a row between them would be better than listening to her own thoughts for another hour.

'Come on then, spit it out', she told the younger woman impatiently.  
Maddie looked down and fiddled with the hem of her shirt. She was getting on Debbie's nerves with her abundance of nervous energy.

'What am I going to do?', whined Maddie. And the way she said it reminded Debbie of a little kid.

'I don't know', responded Debbie, waving her arms in exasperation. 'Enjoy sleeping in, peeing on your own and eating good food probably.' She felt a little sick with jealousy. 'Do you really have to remind me of all the good that is outside?'

'I don't… I can't…', started Maddie, her voice sounded panicked and her breathing became shallow. The girl tried to take a deep breath and locked her eyes with Debbie's. 'I have been inside for nine years, Deb, that is more than one third of my life.'  
Debbie's anger mellowed down.

Maddie ranted on. 'I don't know what to do out there. I have no place to stay, no education.'  
To Debbie's surprise she started sobbing and Debbie felt her anger flare up again. Only, this time she was not mad at Maddie. She was just mad. In all their years together, she had never seen Maddie cry like this. Sure, she had seen the occasional tear escape from Maddie's eyes, but never had she seen Maddie lose herself like this.

In fact, Maddie had always been her rock in prison. She had comforted Debbie many times over the years, helped her out with some tension between her and other inmates and had cheered her up on many occasions. It was only now that she fully realized that prison was Maddie's habitat and in some sick way Maddie's home. She did not doubt that Maddie would do well outside as well, that her prison skills would translate well into the real world. But she understood where Maddie was coming from.

She stood up and faced Maddie. She gently tucked a stray hair behind Maddie's ear. The vulnerable tearful look the smaller woman gave her, broke her heart. Maddie looked suddenly so much younger than 26 .

'You are gonna be fine', promised Debbie, using her thumb to brush away some of the tears on Maddie's face. 'Really.'  
Panicked shallow breaths were still escaping Maddie's mouth but Debbie could see how hard Maddie was trying to get her composure back under control. It saddened Debbie that Maddie did not even dare to collapse in front of Debbie. That she did not trust anybody to see her vulnerable.  
Debbie was suddenly overwhelmed with the urge to protect Maddie. She wished she could join Maddie on the outside next week, not only because she wanted to leave prison but because she wanted to show Maddie how wonderful the world could be. Show Maddie the good things in life and hopefully get Maddie to a place where she was not constantly on edge. A life where Maddie dared to cry if she needed to.  
But, she realized frustrated, Maddie had to do it on her own. She would still be inside when Maddie would reclaim her place in the outside.

By now, Maddie had her breathing under control. Debbie leaned forwards and kissed her, briefly but very tender. 'Trust me', she almost begged Maddie. 'Please talk to me.'  
Maddie barely looked at her, but looked at some place over Debbie's shoulder.

'I am afraid.', she confessed to the empty space behind Debbie. 'I am so scared that I am going to mess up. That I don't remember how to steal anymore, that I'll be rusty, that I will get caught. I'm scared that I won't have enough money to find a place to stay, that I mess up probation.'  
She finally locked her eyes on Debbie. 'I am so afraid that I have to go back to this place.'

Debbie felt some relieve, some sense of victory that Maddie had in fact trusted her. She cupped Maddie's face in both her hands.  
'Don't worry, when I am out too, we are going to pull the con of the century. We are going to be so filthy rich that you will never, ever, have to worry in your life.'  
Debbie looked into Maddie's eyes, wishing she could stop her from worrying. 'And until then, you can stay at Lou.', she offered rather impulsively.  
Maddie's eyes widened in confusion. 'Your Lou?'  
Debbie felt a spark of happiness at the thought of Lou being hers. She nodded.

'I thought you weren't sure if she still wanted you?', asked Maddie.

'We are texting more and more now', confessed Debbie, she had not told Maddie yet because she did not want to jinx it. Because she did not dare think about the option of Lou forgiving her. 'Besides, it is you she is letting in, not me. I am sure she wouldn't mind.'  
She gave Maddie a wink. 'Maybe you can warm her up to the idea of forgiving me.'

Maddie gave a small chuckle. 'Deal.', Maddie said, relieve flooding her face. She leant forward in the embrace Debbie offered her, accepting the comfort Debbie offered her.  
Debbie kissed the top of her head. 'Damn, I am going to miss you', she complained.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, as everyone has probably noticed by now, I don't write often and I have actually very little clue of what I am doing. Feedback is very welcome. I am totally winging it on the spacing, my interpunction, POV's and springing back and forth between flashbacks. Is it comprehensible? Please tell me if I am doing something wrong.


	4. A start

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 'Maddie, I need you to do something for me.' Maddie looked up from her magazine to see Debbie standing right next to her. Maddie just raised one eyebrow, indicating that she was listening.  
> 'I need you to get me thrown in solitary.', Debbie's voice had a wild edge to it.

Present

After Maddie and Tammy had dropped her stuff in the bedroom and Maddie had assured that Tammy could sleep in that room until she went back to her kids. The group of women decided that they should do one last epic dinner together, before officially breaking their group up. But, while riding the metro towards some fancy restaurant, where Tammy had made a reservation against all odds (but with Tammy the odds were never fair.), Debbie could not shake the feeling that this was not the ending. She suspected that the women would continue to use Lou's loft as a communal living room even now their heist was completed, and she did not mind that all. She had grown fond of all the women.  
Yet, she was also looking forward to being alone, to build her life with Lou and Maddie. She was a bit nervous about that too. She had lived together with Lou before and she had lived with Maddie for the better part of the last few years and Maddie and Lou had shared the loft the last months but never with the three of them together. This was new territory for them.

\--

11 months before

Maddie was pretty sure that she was dreaming. Every moment now she could wake up in her cell. Because this could not be happening for real, she thought to herself, following the blonde older woman who was leading her upstairs.  
It was hard to believe that it had only been this morning that she left prison, because so much had happened since then. Debbie had given her a teary hug and the name of Lou's club and an hour later Maddie had found herself outside. Outside! Free for the first time in almost a decade.  
The rest of the day passed in a blur of self-care. Maddie had taken a rather good filled wallet from an unobservant tourist and spoiled herself.  
In the evening she had found herself in Lou's club with a new haircut, new clothes and a backpack filled with some spare clothes. She was quite nervous about meeting Lou, did not even know how to recognize the woman, but she had made it this far already, so she was not about to give up now.  
The moment she spotted Lou, she stopped thinking.

'Fuck', she mumbled to herself and she quite forgot what she came here to do. Because Lou was so goddamn sexy. Maybe it was because prison was not filled with women walking around in confidence, but Lou strolling through her club like she owned the place -which, in all fairness, she did- made Maddie's mind explode. She could not think clearly. She barely remembered what happened after, but she had found herself pinned against the wall behind the club, while Lou was kissing her neck.

'Fuck', she had exclaimed, when Lou had grabbed her ass. 'Debbie said you would take good care of me, but I didn't imagine this.'  
Lou had stopped exploring Maddie's body with her mouth and given her a confused look. Then she had connected the dots.

'I take it you are Maddie then?', she had asked, remembering the vague text she had received that afternoon, which had only read: "Take care of Maddie, pls. Xxx D"  
There had not been an explanation who Maddie was, but Lou looked at the hot young woman currently pressed against her body and decided that now was not the time for questions.

'Suppose I better take you to my loft then', grinned Lou.  
So, it was this chain of events that had led to Maddie ending upstairs in Lou's loft only fifteen hours after her release from prison.

'Do you want to sleep in the spare room or in my room tonight?', asked Lou, the question laced with innuendo.

Maddie licked her lips. 'Your room, please.'

Lou gave her a hungry look and took the girl to bed. She quickly had the girl undressed to her underwear and even gotten herself naked. She pushed Maddie softly down on the bed. She unclasped the girl's bra and that revealed the tattoo on the younger woman's breast. She paused to read the words tattooed under her breasts.

'Maddie Stone', she asked. Her tone half amused, and half serious. 'Can I touch you?'

Maddie responded by grabbing Lou's hands and placing them over her boobs. Lou took that as permission and went to work. Her mouth exploring Maddie's neck and her fingers playing with her nipples. Maddie's hand found Lou's vagina and started playing with her clit.  
Soon the room was filled with heavy panting and soft moans. Both women working very hard to pleasure the other. They came only twenty seconds apart. They laid in the bed, bodies intertwined. Lou was softly tracing patterns over Maddie's arm.  
Lou reached over to turn off the bedside lamp. Maddie was lying in the dark, marveling at how wonderful it was to lie next to each other on a soft bed after the sex. Something she and Debbie had never been able to do.  
She also was surprised how dark and quiet Lou's room was. It was probably the first time in nine years that she had been in a room this dark. She would not even admit it to herself, but the dark and silence scared her. To her great embarrassment she felt her heart rate increase. "Get a hold on yourself", she thought to herself, because Lou was really close by and the thought of the other woman finding out that she was afraid of the dark made her cringe. Besides, she told herself, she was not afraid of the dark. She just laid very still, eyes adjusting to the dark and finally seeing some outlines of unfamiliar furniture, she focused on Lou's breathing imagining it was Debbie's. Eventually exhaustion took over.

\--

Lou woke up the next day to the sound of the most adorable snores she had ever heard. She looked at the mess of red curls on the pillow next to her and smiled to herself. Leave it to Debbie to spice up her life, even from prison. Speaking of the jailbird, Lou decided to tease her a bit. She grabbed her phone and clicked on the unanswered text: "Take care of Maddie, pls. Xxx D"

She typed: "Maddie is currently naked in my bed. Hope you're happy." And laid her phone back down on the nightstand.  
She was surprised, when her phone buzzed only a few seconds later. Normally, Debbie only texted her in the early mornings or late at night. Lou assumed that she left her burner phone in the cell and had limited access to it, but apparently not today. The message read: "Lucky you. Give her a kiss from me."  
Lou tossed her phone away, not bothering to reply to it. She got a bit of satisfaction of keeping Debbie out of the loop.

'Was that Debbie?'. The voice startled Lou. She looked up and saw a pair of hazel eyes watching her. Lou nodded.  
She could not resist herself and leaned forwards until her face was just inches away from Maddie's.

'In fact, she just told me to kiss you', she whispered, carefully watching Maddie's reaction in the girl's eyes.

Maddie gave a lazy grin. 'Would be cruel to deny such an easy request.'  
Lou covered the last few inches between them and their lips met. It was a strange kiss because both of them were thinking about Debbie as well.

'You miss her', stated Maddie after they kissed. Lou just nodded. She did miss Debbie, strangely she missed Debbie more now than in the beginning. Everything in her life was just so ready for… so ready for Debbie.  
Lou got out of bed, busying herself with picking out her clothes for the day.

'How is she?', she asked, trying to keep the worry out of her voice.  
Maddie was hanging over the edge of the bed, looking for her underwear presumably, so it took her a few seconds to answer.

'Prison is not really her kind of place', answered the red-haired girl. 'But you know, she is tough.'

\--

5 years before

'Maddie, I need you to do something for me.' Maddie looked up from her magazine to see Debbie standing right next to her. After eight weeks in prison, it was starting to show. Her hair was not as shiny as in the beginning and there were prominent black rings under her eyes.  
Maddie just raised one eyebrow, indicating that she was listening.

'I need you to get me thrown in solitary.', Debbie's voice had a wild edge to it.  
Maddie slammed her magazine shut. 'You're joking right?'  
Debbie shook her hand frantically. 'No, I need to get away from this noise, I need to think!'  
Maddie looked at Debbie like she had gone crazy.

'You don't know what you're saying, Ocean'. Her voice was dismissive.  
Her eyes surveyed Debbie, trying to understand the woman. But, in al truth, Maddie found Debbie very hard to read. It was like she had no filter, not an inkling of how should behave herself in prison. For example, she was all trusting of Maddie, complaining about the food or a guard, even though Maddie had never given an indication that she was interested. Not that she was not interested. Debbie intrigued her, but the unspoken rule was to let each other be for the first weeks. Not immediately pour your heart out. It was scary, because it made Debbie very unpredictable.  
Debbie's calm demeanor also confused Maddie because it meant that she would stroll through the prison like she knew what she was doing until something happened and suddenly she stopped and looked completely out of place. The woman seemed smart enough, but Maddie was not convinced that she was not mad.

'No, I'm sure', said Debbie.

'No.', responded Maddie, slow like she was talking to a child. 'You don't know what you're asking for. You'll go crazy in solitary.'

'I am already going crazy.' Debbie's voice was raised, and she slammed a cupboard in frustration.  
This action startled Maddie. She swiftly put some distance between them and watched Debbie carefully. She was not sure if Debbie was stable, her new cellmate was very hard to read and therefore unpredictable. Who was to say that she would not attack Maddie to get herself thrown in solitary.

'Calm down.', she warned.

Debbie took a step backwards to seem less threatening, but the mad glint in her eyes stayed. 'I. Need. To. Think.', she grunted frustrated.  
Maddie was torn between pity and self-preservation.

'It is not hard to get yourself thrown in the hole', she started. 'it is just that it is going to create a whole lot of problems. 'Cause if you're in there because of some fight, you will have pissed inmates when you come back.'  
Debbie's head snapped up when Maddie started to talk, a glimmer of hope in her eyes.  
She continued: 'would be even worse if you piss off the guards, because they are the ones making your next six years a living hell.' Maddie shook her head in disbelieve.  
'I don't see how it is worth the trouble.', Maddie concluded, hoping to talk some sense in the other woman.

'It is worth it', said Debbie, her tone almost whining. 'You don't know what it is like to be betrayed by someone you love.' She was getting in Maddie's space again.  
Maddie gave Debbie a cold look. 'Sure, Ocean, you are the only woman in this facility to truly know real pain.'  
Debbie's face fell when she realized her mistake.

'No, no, no. that's not what I meant.', she corrected herself. 'It is just… I need this.' Debbie was almost begging now.

Maddie decided that she may as well help Debbie, not like there was anything else to do. Maddie gave a small nod. 'We'll think of something.'  
She stood up and walked away.  
Debbie followed her, eager like a kid going to the candy store. Maddie gave Debbie a look.

'Why are you following me, Ocean?'

Confusion spread over Debbie's face. 'I thought that you were going to help me…'

Maddie chuckled. 'Calm down, tiger. I was going to the rec-room. We have plenty of time to get you thrown in the hole, not like we're going anywhere, anytime soon.'

'O', Debbie looked disappointed and relieved at the same time.

'Yeah, no need to thank me or anything.', Maddie mumbled to herself, entering the rec-room.  
She did not think that Debbie would hear that but the older woman softly squeezed Maddie's hand and whispered thanks in her ear, before walking the other way.

 

\--

That evening, when Maddie returned to her cell, Debbie was already there. Debbie was sitting on her lower bunk and had put the chair across it, there was a package of cookies next to her and even a bottle of soda.

Maddie raised an eyebrow. 'What's this, a sleepover?'. Debbie's face fell, and Maddie felt a bit guilty. She sat down in the chair Debbie had so obviously set up for her.  
'Come on, pass me a cookie then.', she said. Debbie gave her a relieved smile and complied.

Maddie actually enjoyed herself that night. She and Debbie just chatted lightly, carefully avoiding any heavy topics. Credits for this went to Debbie, who could very easily keep a conversation flowing. It was also mostly Debbie who did the talking, telling the greatest stories about all the madness she and her criminal friends had gotten themselves into. Maddie did not tell much about her past because she considered that whole thing a heavy topic, but felt comfortable enough to tell the occasional anecdote about her own smalltime cons.  
They talked for hours and when Maddie finally went to bed that night she realized that she did not think that her new cellmate was crazy, just different.


	5. Scott

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 'Why don't you call him then?', challenged Debbie.  
> A strange expression crossed Maddie's face. 'I don't know where he is.'  
> 'I don't get it.', said Debbie.  
> 'No, I didn't expect you would.', snapped Maddie.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys can make sense of the weird jumping between flashbacks and present

Present

Debbie woke up the day after their farewell dinner at an ungodly hour. She had noticed in the few months since her release that the prison schedule was hard to get rid of. She did not want to wake up Lou, so she quietly slipped out of the bedroom and made her way to the living room.  
After only ten minutes of lounging on the couch, she heard footsteps approaching. Surprised she turned around to see who else was awake before the sun was even up. Maddie was walking towards her. Her curls in a messy bun, she was wearing a long-sleeved shirt and shorts, leaving her bruised legs bare.

'Reckoned you'd be up early.', said the girl, plumping down next to Debbie. She put her legs on Debbie's lap and they sat quietly for a while. It felt so natural for Debbie to be close to Maddie again and yet it was strange to be together with her cellmate outside of jail. Even though it was not Maddie's fault, Maddie made her feel on edge again. She half expected to hear a voice over an intercom telling them it was time for counting.

'Don't', Maddie's soft voice, interrupted Debbie's thoughts.

Debbie looked up and met Maddie's hazel eyes. 'Don't what?', she asked.

'Don't think about prison.'  
Debbie was a bit surprised that Maddie was on to her that quick.

'It is harder to be outside than I thought it would', she admitted softly to the younger woman.

She was surprised when relieve filled Maddie's face. 'Same', confessed Maddie. 'I had such a hard time. I thought it was just me.'  
She smiled encouragingly at Debbie. 'It gets better with time, really.'

'I know', sighed Debbie. 'I'm not really patient, though.'

Maddie chuckled. 'You don't say.'  
Debbie just made a whiny sound.

Maddie nudged her softly with her leg. 'Don't complain. We have everything we could ever wish for. More money than we can spend, the feds are of our backs and we are not even back in prison. What more could we want?'

'The ability to sleep past seven in the morning?', Debbie offered, barely serious. Honestly, she was glad that Maddie seemed so happy. And yet there was one thing unresolved.

 

\--

Five and a half years before

 

'Look', her cellmate said excited. Maddie looked up and saw Debbie standing next to the desk in their cell, something clasped in her hand.

'What's that?', asked Maddie. Debbie opened up her hand and showed Maddie the object in her hand.

'Impressive.', said Maddie, and she truly admired Debbie for smuggling in a burner phone in prison. 'What you gonna do with it?'

'Some business.', Debbie smirked happily. 'But you can use it. Do you want to call someone?'

Maddie scoffed. 'Have you ever seen me using the pay phone, Ocean? There is no-one to call.'

Brown eyes rested on hers. 'That can't be true', said the brunette. 'Surely you can call the boy on the picture.' She nodded at the picture that hung on the wall near Maddie's pillow.

'No, if I could call him, then my answer to your first question would have been: "thank you, Debbie, I would really like to use your phone to call my brother". But I didn't say that, did I?', Maddie noted drily.

Debbie looked a bit taken aback. 'That's your brother?', she asked surprised.

'Are you slow, Ocean? Who else would the little boy in the pic be.', said Maddie, nodding to the photo on the wall. It showed a teenage Maddie with her arms wrapped around a small boy, there were huge grins on both their faces. His hair was not as red as Maddie's, more of a strawberry blonde, but the resemblance was clear.

'Suppose I didn't think about that.', admitted Debbie. 'Why don't you call him then?'

'None of your business', replied Maddie, but she knew Debbie well enough by now to know that she would not drop the subject. The woman was just too noisy.  
It took Debbie ten minutes before she ran out of patience, which Maddie thought must be a new record. Debbie stayed quiet for ten minutes, but then her curiosity got the better of her.

'What's his name?', asked Debbie innocently.  
Maddie let out an exasperated sigh. She turned her head to Debbie, her face entirely unimpressed.  
Debbie looked back her, not feeling guilty about her questioning at all.

'Fine', said the brunette after Maddie stayed quiet for a whole minute, shaking her head in annoyance. 'I'll start. I have a brother; his name is Danny. He is three years older than me.'  
Maddie stayed quiet.

'Oh, come on', whined Debbie. 'that information is innocent enough. If you don't talk to me, I'm gonna start talking to the walls out of boredom.'

'If it shuts you up,' started Maddie. 'His name is Scott and he is ten years younger than me.'

'Do you love him?', asked Debbie.

Maddie looked at her, like that was the stupidest question in the world. 'Well, duh, he is my baby brother.'

'Why don't you call him then?', challenged Debbie.

A strange expression crossed Maddie's face. 'I don't know where he is.'

'I don't get it.', said Debbie.

'No, I didn't expect you would.', snapped Maddie.  
Debbie's expression became more serious as she realized that Maddie's brother was truly a touchy topic, not just a secret she kept for the sake of being "mysterious" or something.  
'He is in foster care.', said Maddie. She looked over at Debbie and practically saw the radars in her head working.

'You were in foster care?', she asked after a few seconds.

'No.' said Maddie. 'They took him after they took me to prison. My idiot of a dad messed up so bad, that only a month after I was gone, CPS was already at his door.' She could not quite keep the bitterness out of your voice.

'Where was your mother?', asked Debbie, trying to understand this story through the few snippets of information her bunkmate offered.

'Who knows?', chuckled Maddie humorlessly. 'The only thing she ever did for Scott was getting him hooked up on drugs while he was still in her womb.'  
Debbie felt a bit out of her dept. She had never considered herself as naïve or anything, but the girls in prison would sometimes drop notes of their past that got Debbie completely by surprise. She was realizing more and more that there was a whole nasty world of crimes that was not glamourous at all.  
Slowly all the information clicked together.

'Wait. So you raised him?', Debbie asked.

'Well was not like I was giving him the breast or anything, but you know, I took care of him.', said the younger woman and Debbie thought she heard a hint of pride in her voice.

Debbie felt sad. 'And you haven't seen him since you went to jail?', she asked softly.

'I have seen him…', replied Maddie wistfully. 'He visited me in juvie once. Some guy at the group home drove him over. And later his foster mom drove him over sometimes to this jail, she was fostering another kid as well and his mom was in here as well, but then that mom was released, and she said it was not worth the trouble to drive over here just for Scott.'  
Debbie let out a small huff.  
'After a while he was moved to another family.', continued Maddie. 'and we'd call each other. Until one day, his foster dad answered the phone and told him that Scott was in a new place, but he didn't where he was. Couldn't give the number of his new placement.'  
Maddie took a deep breath. 'So I've lost him. Haven't heard from him in seven months now. Gone, down the drain of the system.'

'Jeez.', exclaimed Debbie softly. 'I'm sorry, Maddie.'

'It's not your fault, Ocean.', replied her cellmate, resuming writing her commissary list again as if she had not just told one of the saddest stories ever.  
Debbie just sat on her bed, staring at the wall. She hated this place.

\--

 

Present

'We didn't get the restraining order dropped.', Debbie noted apologetically, because even though they had a lot, they did not have everything their hearts decided. They both missed their brothers.  
Maddie's face fell.

'I've been thinking about that,' she started slowly. 'and I don't think that the restraining order is the problem.'  
She swallowed, trying not to become emotional. 'The problem is that apparently Scott does not want to see me.'

'No', corrected Debbie. 'His new parents don't want him to see you. That's a big difference.'  
She saw how Maddie was practically clinging onto those words.

'Maybe', admitted Maddie, a glimmer of hope in her eyes. 'It is probably a good thing right, that his parents don't want him to interact with a convicted felon?'  
Debbie did not trust herself to give the right answer. She just shrugged.

'I'll just have to wait until he is eighteen then.', Maddie thought out loud. 'Then he can decide for himself if he wants me to be in his life…'

'Of course, he wants you in his life.', said Debbie.

'You don't know that.', big hazel eyes locked on hers, the worry in them evident. 'He probably doesn't want nothing to do with his trashy prison sister.'

'You are way more likeable, than you give yourself credits for.', told Debbie. She tugged Maddie by her arms until she was practically sitting in her lap. She pressed a few kisses on the girl's head and shoulder.  
'And obviously we are not gonna wait till Scott is eighteen. I'm an Ocean babe, I can be pretty convincing. We are going to get you all dolled up and convince his new posh parents that you ain't all bad.'

\--

4 years ago

'Stone, you have a visitor.', officer Brazier's voice had both the women look up from their card game.  
Both Maddie and Debbie were completely stunned to silence by his comment. It was Maddie who found her voice first.

'I have a visitor?', she asked shocked. Debbie could see the disbelieve in her eyes. In all the time Debbie had been in prison with her, Maddie had not once had a visitor. Debbie was not flooded with visitors either, but Tammy took the occasional drive to prison every few months (mostly to complain about her husband but still) and Rusty and her brother had driven over once for her 40th birthday.

Brazier chuckled, amused by Maddie's surprised. 'Yes, your dad is here.'  
Maddie's mouth fell open.

'My dad is here?', Maddie repeated him in disbelieve. Debbie could see that Maddie was not about to move on her own, so she made eye contact with the redhead.

'You better go, Maddie', she nudged softly.  
Maddie nodded her head, still in shock and slowly stood up. As in trance, she followed Brazier out of the rec-room.  
Debbie watched Maddie's disappearing figure and could not help feeling worried. What was happening?

-

Two hours later she found Maddie on her bunk, which was odd, because Maddie was not usually in their cell during the day if she did not have to. The girl was lying on her back, looking at the ceiling, barely noticing Debbie as she walked in. Debbie noticed that the redhead was even paler than usual.

'You okay?', she questioned.

Maddie did not even look at her. 'No.', replied the younger woman, turning so her back was to Debbie now.  
Debbie knew better than to push the girl. She was very worried but trusted that Maddie would open up in her own time. They were close now. She felt an anger searing through her veins though, what had Maddie's dad done now to hurt his daughter?  
Maddie stayed quiet for the rest of the day. Debbie's worry grew with every minute of silence.

It was only after lights out, that Maddie finally opened her mouth: 'my brother has been adopted.'

-  
(a few hours earlier)

Maddie felt her heart beating in her throat when she walked into the visitor's room. She realized that she had not seen her father in six years, not once had he visited her. However, this was not all on her dad. She had been very clear that she had never wanted to see him again and maybe he had realized that after all the damage he had done in her life, honoring that request was the least he could do.  
So why was he here?  
She sat down across him. He was smaller than she remembered. She was not sure if it was because she was bigger now or that he had only ever been big in her memory.  
Her dad looked her over, tears brimming in his eyes.

'Gosh, you're big.', he smiled sadly. Deep down, Maddie knew that her dad loved her and that he was full of regret. She knew it would not hurt to be nice, but she just could not get herself to be kind to this man.

'Why are you here?', she asked him, not cutting any corners.  
Her dad did not look at her as he spoke his next sentence: 'Scott has been adopted.'  
His words caught her completely off guard.

'What?', she sputtered, completely flabbergasted.

'This couple wanted to adopt him. They seemed like nice people. So, I signed away my parental rights.'  
Maddie felt like all the oxygen had left her lungs. Scott was no part of their family anymore.

'Selling your daughter wasn't enough?', she said cruelly. 'You had to give away your son as well?'  
Maddie's dad looked at her, pain edged all over his face.

'It is not like that, love', he said. 'I'm not giving him away. I was never getting him back. I'm setting him free.'  
Maddie felt something prickling in her eyes, she looked away, forcing herself to keep the tears at bay.

'Nobody asked me anything', she said softly.

'Well, no', said her dad quietly. 'They only need the parent to sign away their parental rights.'

Maddie's head snapped back to face her dad. 'That's you then?', she whispered angrily. 'You are the parent?'  
Maddie's dad just looked at her his eyes wide in hurt and confusion.  
'Because I don't remember you cooking for him. Or buying him clothes. Or caring for him when he was sick.'  
Her dad cringed at her words. Maddie took two shaky breaths, it took all her willpower to compose herself.

'I thought you would be happy, Maddie-bear.', said her dad. 'You have always been pretty clear about how crap I was. Now he has people who can do all these things.'  
Maddie did not know if it were the old nickname her dad used or the fact that her baby brother did not need her anymore, but she had to close her eyes to keep the tears from escaping. She did not trust her voice either, so she kept quiet.  
Her dad kept talking, telling how amazing this people were. That they had an amazing house in Connecticut. It was clear that he wanted to comfort her with those stories about this amazing family, he did not seem to realize that he had the opposite effect on Maddie.  
'They live in this amazing house with a porch, Maddie-bear.', told her dad. 'I saw this photo and it is just like the drawings of houses you used to make when you were little.'

Maddie finally opened her eyes. 'You've met them?', she asked.  
Her dad looked away.

'Well, no.', he admitted. 'But Scott's case worker told me that they are both really fond of him. Apparently they got their foster license especially so they could foster and later on adopt him.'  
Maddie did not know what to say, she did not share her father's enthusiasm about this unknown couple. She had not trusted her father's judgement in a long time, always double-checked his decisions. But now, she was completely powerless, she just had to trust her dad. The problem was, she did not.  
They sat in silence for a while.

Her dad cleared his throat. 'So, how are you?', he asked earnestly.

Maddie's eyes became cold. 'We are done here.', she said.  
She stood up and left the room. It was the last time she saw him.

\--

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, do you guys like Maddie? Are there things you'd want this story to delve into? Please let me know!


	6. Stone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tammy pointed with her whisk between Debbie and the other two.  
> 'Anyone care to explain what is going on?', she asked. Three pairs of eyes rested on her.  
> 'What do you wanna know, Tam-tam', asked Debbie with her signature smirk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mention of rape at the end of the chapter

Present

Tammy thought she would have been the first to wake up, since she was the only one of the women with children who kept her on a schedule. She was surprised to find Debbie and Maddie already downstairs, cuddling on the couch and whispering softly.  
She was intrigued by Maddie and Debbie's relationship, because there seemed something going on there, but she also thought she had felt some vibes going on between Lou and Deb. Then again, it was none of her business and as long as everybody was happy, she really did not care.

'Morning', said Tammy loudly, announcing her presence because she had lived with Debbie before and she knew it was better to make yourself known. Just so everybody could make sure they were decent. She dropped down in a beanbag.  
'What you two doing?', she asked.

'Feeling old', replied Maddie, while Debbie just chuckled softly. Tammy raised her eyebrows, because Maddie and Constance were the youngest of their group.

'Do you know what a vlog is?', asked the young woman.

'And what even is Tinder?', asked Debbie.

'What's the deal with avocado toast?', asked Maddie.

'What does #YOLO mean?'. Debbie again.

'No, I know that.', interrupted Maddie. 'That was a thing before we got locked up.'  
Tammy felt a smug grin appear on her face.

'Look who is the cool mom now.', she said.

'You're the only mom here.', deadpanned Debbie. 'It isn't a hard contest.'  
Tammy pretended to be hurt.

'We watched one of Constance's vlogs,', explained Debbie and Tammy noticed that she was softly tracing patterns on Maddie's arm.

Tammy chuckled. 'Don't worry, I think everybody just understands about half of what is said in those. I mean the pace at which that girl speaks, who knows what she is saying.'  
The sound of a shower turned on upstairs sounded through the living room.

'I am going to make you some breakfast', announced Tammy, clapping her hands together.

'I'll help', offered Maddie to her surprise. They both stood up and walked towards the kitchen.

Tammy did a quick scan of the pantry and pulled out some stuff.

'We can make some pancakes.', she suggested. Maddie gave a nod of approval. They grabbed the right ingredients and utensils in silence.  
'You don't say much.', noted Tammy, when Maddie was cracking eggs into a bowl.

Maddie glanced at her and gave a small shrug. Tammy became restless in the silence and opened her mouth.  
'I thought my daughter how to make pancakes.', babbled Tammy. 'but she keeps getting shells into the eggs.'

She saw a small smile appear on Maddie's face. 'How old is she?', asked Maddie.

'Only seven', said Tammy, her face brightening up, thinking about her daughter. 'So I shouldn't be too surprised.'

'I also learned how to make pancakes when I was seven.', told Maddie with a small smile on her face.

'Did you mom teach you as well?', asked the older woman.

Maddie shook her head. 'No, I learnt from the back of the package.', she admitted. 'But at least you don't get egg shells in the powdered version.'  
Tammy chuckled lightly, glad that she had gotten the girl to talk.

A freshly showered Lou walked into the kitchen when Tammy was making a second batch of pancake batter, while Maddie was baking the first lot.

'Hmmm', she announced in her Australian drawl. 'A girl can get used to this.'  
She wrapped her arms around Maddie from behind and Maddie turned her head, so they could kiss each other.  
Tammy sheepishly focused her attention on the batter, when the kiss went on for longer than she anticipated. Debbie came in to set the table and she seemed totally unimpressed by the couple kissing each other.  
Tammy pointed with her whisk between Debbie and the other two.

'Anyone care to explain what is going on?', she asked. Three pairs of eyes rested on her.

'What do you wanna know, Tam-tam', asked Debbie with her signature smirk.

'I thought you were back with Lou?', muttered Tammy surprised.

'I am', nodded Debbie slowly, giving a loving smile at the Australian.

'But you're also with Maddie?', Tammy noted.

'Very observant.', nodded Debbie approvingly. 'Just like I remember you Tam.'  
'And Lou and Maddie...', stammered Tammy vaguely.

'Well obviously.', stated Debbie, looking over at the two still entangled in each other.  
Tammy looked between the three of them. Maddie's attention was completely focused on the frying pan, a slight blush on her face. Debbie was looking thoroughly amused by Tammy's confusion. Lou was just giving her a challenging stare.

'Are we still welcome to visit in your posh neighborhood?', she asked with just the smallest hint of danger in her voice.  
It took Tammy only a couple of seconds to regain herself. 'Seeing as you are all three grifters, I don't think you were ever welcome.', she replied.  
'But you know I don't care about any of that.', continued Tammy, and there was a lot of meaning in her words.

'Good.', nodded Debbie. 'Thank you, Tam.'  
Tammy let out a little laugh. 'Should have known it takes more than one to handle Debbie.'

'I think we can all agree on that.', admitted Lou drily.

'Pancakes are ready.', announced Maddie just a little too loudly, efficiently ending the conversation.

'Any plans for today?', asked Debbie during breakfast.

'Yeah, Amita is picking is up soon, we are going to get ourselves some nice jewelry.', said Tammy.

'O', Debbie looked a bit surprised. 'Why wasn't I invited?'

'Because we actually want to buy stuff, not steal it.', said Maddie, taking a big bite of pancake. 'And I thought Lou and you had something planned for today?'

'Do we?', asked Debbie, even more surprised, looking over at Lou. The blonde just nodded.

'You are mine today', winked Lou.

'Works for me', replied Debbie, happily sipping her tea.

\--

An hour later, Maddie, Tammy, Constance and Amita found themselves in the fanciest shop Maddie had ever been in. She knew she had the money to spend on this stuff, but she still felt out of place in a boutique like this.

'I can't believe I'll actually be able to pay for this.', grinned Constance next to her.

'Me neither.', admitted Maddie, also unable to hide a grin.  
A shop assistant came over to help them and Maddie was glad that Tammy and Amita were there as well, because she did not think she and Constance would have been able to behave themselves as rich beings for long enough to be taken seriously.  
Once Tammy had made it clear that they were about to spend big money, they were offered champagne.

'So, what are we looking for?', asked Amita, looking over at the other three women.

'Something to remember the heist, just one little piece with meaning to me.', said Tammy. 'And maybe something nice for my kids.', she added.

'I want something lit!', announced Constance.

'Oookay', nodded Amita, just a little hesitant. 'We can work with that.'

She turned to Maddie. 'What about you?', she asked.

'Uhm', Maddie was unsure, she looked down at her bruised arms. 'I want something that makes me feel pretty?'

'Sure.', nodded Amita, then she let out a sigh. 'I want a wedding ring and a hot husband, but I'll settle with a nice bracelet.'

'How's the tinder going?', asked Constance.

'Tammy, I'm thinking earrings for you. Pearls or diamonds?', asked Amita, trying to change the subject.

'Diamonds.', said the mom with just a small huff. 'I'm not as old and stiff as everyone seems to think.'  
In the end she did actually settle on earrings with pearl-shell. They were two small golden shells, pleated with pearl-shell. They had a nice glimmer to it "without making me look sixty".

They walked over to a section with big necklaces and chains. Maddie was reminded very much of Lou and she saw a lot of beautiful necklaces, but she felt that they would look better on Lou than on herself. Constance found something though.

'This is dope!', she exclaimed. Maddie thought it was both hilarious and ugly at the same time. It was a big golden chain with a golden pizza-slice hanging on it. The toppings on the pizza, however, were expensive gems. Rubies for the pepperoni and emerald for the spinach.

'You're joking right?', groaned Amita. 'This hurts me as a jeweler.'

'This is amazing', said Constance, lovingly gazing at the necklace. 'Pizza is life.'  
She turned around to face the other women, her eyes brimming with an idea. 'We should all get one, it will be like one of those BFF-necklaces, the nine of us could make up a whole pizza together!'

'I'm going to pass', chuckled Tammy. 'I may be rich, but I don't want to pay thousands for a slice of ugly pizza.'

'Guess what you are getting for Christmas!', said Constance enthusiastically. Maddie was not sure if she was joking or not.  
'I'm taking it.', said Constance, looking at the other three women, challenging them to say something.

'Your money.', said Amita. 'Do what you want.'

'It suits you.', offered Maddie, because she could not imagine Constance with some fancy jewelry. She thought it was kind of perfect for the New Yorker.

Constance gave her a goofy smile. 'I know right? Who would have thought that I could spend thousands on a pizza-slice? I can so I will.'  
A shop assistant came forward to wrap Constance's new necklace.

Tammy was standing by another cabinet.

'Amita, don't these necklaces look kind of long?', she asked.

Amita laughed. 'Those are body chains.', she said, pointing at a black velvet mannequin showcasing the jewelry.  
Tammy gave the mannequin a long stare. 'I don't understand, you can barely see it if you are wearing clothing.'

'You could see it if you're barely clothed.', said Constance thoughtfully. 'Maddie, is this something for you?'

'Are you suggesting that I don't wear many clothes?', asked Maddie, only half serious, because she too was intrigued by the body chains. It would look very nice under a crop top.

'I am only saying that if I were as ripped as you are, I don't think I would ever wear clothes.', said Constance in her direct way. 'Remember yesterday, when Debbie almost undressed you at the table? Damn girl.'

Maddie felt herself blush. 'I have been working out because I had to do the hanging from the ceiling.', she explained softly.

'Well, show it off.', said Constance encouragingly. Maddie had to admit that she was great to shop with. If you had enough money for impulsive buying, that was.

'It also goes great with a bikini', offered Amita, because she too had noticed that Maddie needed some encouragement.

'Just imagine going to the beach with something so expensive,' laughed Maddie nervously, but yet she was attracted to the chains. Honestly, if she was not as bruised as she was now, she was mostly wearing tops that showed her stomach. Lou actually complained about Maddie borrowing her shirts, saying she would ruin them because she knotted them.

'Come on,' said Constance, 'try one on!'.  
The Asian girl convinced the shop assistant to hand them one of the body chains, a gold one, with actual small diamonds that went with one chain from the back and would turn into four chains forming a X in the front.  
They disappeared into one of the changing rooms and Maddie clasped herself in, it was not as complicated as it looked.

'I'm really bruised though', she said a bit self-conscious, lifting her shirt to show the body chain to Constance.

'It looks great.', said the other woman. 'I like it!' Her brows furrowed. 'Why do you have your boobs stamped with your name, though?', she questioned, looking at Maddie's tattoo.  
Maddie looked down at the words tattooed underneath her breasts.

'Because there my boobs', she explained.

Constance still looked confused. 'Do you forget that sometimes?', she asked.

'No, this is so nobody else forgets', said Maddie firmly.

The Asian woman nodded. 'Cool.'

\--

Eleven years before

Maddie often wondered if the misery had started because of that disastrous night when she was fourteen or if that night had just been the beginning of their downfall. Her father's self-destructive behavior, was that a result of the rape or had the rape been the result of her father's self-destructive behavior?  
What she did know was that everything had went downhill from that night on. Her strained relationship with her dad, their money problems and her constant anxiety, all traced back to that night. The screaming matches with her dad in the middle of the night. The abortion. It had all happened because of Geoffrey. And because of her dad.  
What she also knew was that she was done with that. She was just one day shy of her sixteenth birthday and so ready to leave the past in the past. She knew that she was stronger now. She was able to care for herself now. She had learned how to trick people into willingly giving her money. Her cons were small-time but efficient. She managed.  
She was Maddie Stone and she was able to take care of herself.

'You ready, Maddie-Madness?', grinned Lee.

'Yeah.', nodded Maddie, lifting her shirt up, so her friend and tattoo-artist could do his work.

'This is gonna be sick!', said the tattoo-artist, sounding very eager.  
Maddie closed her eyes when the buzzing sound of the needle approached her. She felt the stinging sensation of the needle on her skin. It hurt but it felt kind of right. She suddenly understood the people who would self-harm. She had never felt the need to hurt herself, but she finally got the appeal. There was something satisfying about controlling the pain you had always felt. It was like the pinch of the needle drove away the feeling of Geoffrey drooling all over her breasts. She felt cleaner.  
It took longer than she expected to tattoo the four words beneath her breasts. But when she admired the fresh result in Lee's mirror, she felt that it was all worth it.  
The four words had a red edge to it, but that would fade. The message however would not.  
It read: "Property of Maddie Stone" in clear black letters underneath her breasts.  
Her body, her choice.  
A few tears rolled down her cheeks.

'Thank you.', she whispered to Lee.

 

 


	7. Not old

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We could always have sex?', offered Debbie after both of them had been sitting in slightly awkward silence for ten minutes.  
> Lou shook her head. 'I think we should talk'.  
> 'About what?'. Debbie felt a bit afraid.  
> 'About us.', said Lou, all serious, locking eyes with Debbie.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some light trigger warnings for talk about drugs and rape

While the four women were buying themselves expensive jewelry, Lou and Debbie were enjoying some alone-time. They had been together a lot, since Debbie had been free, but this was the first time they were hanging out without a purpose. No heist to plan, no museum to rob. Just them.  
They sat at the cleared-out breakfast table. There was so much to talk about that neither women knew where to start.

'We could always have sex?', offered Debbie after both of them had been sitting in slightly awkward silence for ten minutes.

Lou shook her head. 'I think we should talk'.

'About what?'. Debbie felt a bit afraid.

'About us.', said Lou, all serious, locking eyes with Debbie.  
Debbie felt her heart rate increase, she licked her lips nervously.

'What about us?'. She did not quite manage to keep her voice even.

'What is going to prevent us from mutually assured self-destruction this time?', asked the blonde, her eyes never leaving Debbie.  
Debbie was a bit confused. Mutually assured? She had destroyed herself by falling for an asshole and getting her ass send to prison. But Lou seemed to be doing fine. How was she destroyed?  
Then it hit her.

'You fell of the wagon again.', she stated sadly.

Lou nodded. 'Fell again, crawled up again. I know the drill.'

'It is in the past now, Deb', said Lou, looking away from Debbie's sad gaze. 'I've been clean for over four years.'  
Debbie felt a tight knot in her stomach, she hated herself for abandoning Lou. She looked down at her feet. She heard Lou standing up and she half expected the woman to leave right now and here.  
Lou did not leave, of course but was walking over to her. The blonde woman kneeled in front of her chair and put her hands on Debbie's knees.

'Hon, let's not focus on the past, but on our bright future.', said Lou softly.  
Debbie finally dared to look at Lou.

'I'm sorry', she whispered hoarsely.

Lou nodded. 'I know. I'm sorry too.'  
Debbie wanted to say that Lou should not be sorry, that she had done more harm than Lou had. But she could not, because Lou had hurt her as well. So she nodded, accepting the apology.

'I will be better this time', she promised Lou. 'I'm going to listen to you.'  
Because, even though Lou and Debbie were both to blame for their downfall, Debbie knew that she started the whole thing. She had not listened to Lou when the woman told her that she wanted to go in another direction. Lou had told her that she wanted to stop with the bingo-rigging, but Debbie did not listen. She just tried to make their bingo-rigging more lucrative. She did not listen when Lou told her that it was not about the money, that she needed the distraction. She needed to be distracted from her big weak spot. Debbie did not listen.  
So, in return Lou had taken home girl after girl. Maybe to punish Debbie, maybe to distract herself. It had done nothing to help close the wedge between them. In the end Debbie had let herself be taken away by Claude. Leaving Lou. It was all her fault that Lou had taken to drugs again. Instead of helping her, she had left. She had chosen adventure over the most important person in her life. She had been selfish. So very selfish.  
Lou looked at her with only love, there was no blame in her eyes. But Debbie blamed herself.

'The past is in the past', said Lou.  
Debbie let out a shaky breath.

'I don't deserve you', she said, pulling Lou in to a hug, so the woman would not see her tears.

'Maybe not', mumbled Lou in Debbie's belly, she was still sitting on the floor. 'Maybe you deserve someone, who is not going to destroy everything.'  
Debbie lifted Lou's head, so she could look at her.

'That is not what I meant, Louise Mathilde Miller, I meant that you are too good for me.', Debbie gave Lou a serious stare. 'You are someone who always tries to become a better version of herself. I can learn from that.'

She brushed her hand through Lou's hair. 'We just have to make sure that you have enough distractions.'

Lou took a deep breath. 'The club is helping a lot.', she admitted.

Debbie nodded. 'That's good. And whenever you get bored at the club, Maddie and I will distract you with some cons or awesome trips. We will keep you busy 'till you are old and wrinkly and the only drugs you want are like old-people drugs for your arthritis or something...'  
They stared at each other for a while before they both burst out laughing.

Lou raised her eyebrows. 'When did we become so… old?'

'Not old. Mature', corrected Debbie.

'That doesn't sound much better', complained Lou, but she was smiling.

'Soooo', said Debbie slowly, spreading her legs. Lou was still sitting on the floor, practically between her spread legs now. 'Sex?'

Lou laughed. 'You are still horny like a teenager.'

'Well, I have been celibate in prison for a while now.', Debbie complained.

'I believe Maddie took good care of you.', challenged Lou.

'Maddie has been with you for almost a year', whined Debbie, spreading her legs even wider, gently guiding Lou to her core with a hand on the back of her head.

'Jesus, I can smell you already.', groaned Lou, her voice husky. 'Fuck. I wanted to take you out for a nice lunch.'

'We can do both.', said Debbie rushed, already unbuttoning her shirt.  
Lou did not need to be told twice and started to work on the buttons of Debbie's trousers.

\--

After a nice lunch at one of their favorite spots in Brighton Beach, Lou and Debbie walked along the beach for a while.  
Lou liked the look on Debbie's face. Debbie was fully appreciating the wind in her hair and her bare feet in the sand and it showed on her face. Lou had seen the same look on Maddie in the beginning. It was the face of a woman who had been deprived of a lot in prison. She remembered that Maddie had looked just the same when she took a bite of fresh strawberry.  
She kissed Debbie softly on the nose.

'You look just like Maddie right now, enjoying the little things in life. I'm guessing no beach trips in prison?'  
Debbie just shook her head. Lou grabbed her hand and they walked together for a while in silence. Lou knew that Debbie could not stay silent for long, so she waited 'till the other woman started the conversation.

'Did Maddie talk a lot about prison?', asked Debbie after a short while.

Lou shook her head. 'Barely. But really, Maddie does not talk a lot, does she?'.  
She glanced at Debbie for confirmation, because she had noticed with a bit of jealousy that Maddie talked a lot more when Debbie was present.  
Debbie sucked her bottom lip in her mouth, like she always did when something bothered her. She did not seem to have heard Lou's last question.

'Hmmm, what were you saying?', Debbie asked absent-mindedly.

'Maddie. Doesn't tell much.', Lou said with a hint of annoyance. She did not like to repeat herself.

'Oh Maddie', grinned Debbie fondly. 'Your loft is too big Lou. The trick to get her to talk is to lock yourself up in a tiny space for numerous hours.'

Lou laughed softly. 'Noted.'  
Debbie seemed back in the present again, her big brown eyes on Lou.

'Did she tell you about… uhm, how she ended up in prison?', asked Debbie. Lou knew that the other woman was testing the waters, she did not want to spoil Maddie's secrets without her permission.

Lou bopped her head in confirmation. 'She did. She mentioned the rape vaguely.', she said, because she knew that was what Debbie wanted to know.

 

\--

11 months before

Lou surveyed the girl sitting at her breakfast bar, she barely knew anything about the strange girl she had met only twelve hours ago. Not that she was regretting last night, but in the sobering morning light of her kitchen she realized that sleeping with this woman that was going to live with her, maybe was a bit of an awkward move.  
She trusted Debbie though and she was willing to take Maddie in to her home.  
Maddie looked less bold this morning too and had been quiet for the last few minutes.

'Cereal okay?', questioned Lou, but it was more a formality since cereal was about the only thing she had.  
Maddie nodded with a shy smile on her face.

'When were you released from prison?', asked Lou, her head in the fridge now, praying that her milk was still fresh.

'Uhm, yesterday.' said Maddie.  
This answer saddened Lou but she tried not to show it. If Lou - a stranger- was Maddie's first stop out of prison, then that probably meant that she had no one else to turn to.  
With a small sense of victory Lou closed the fridge door, having not only found a carton of milk, well within its expiration date, but also a carton full of fresh strawberries.  
She put the strawberries in front of Maddie.

'Well, you are welcome here for as long as you like', she offered Maddie. She turned to grab two bowls and when she turned back Maddie was still gazing at her.

'Thank you', stammered the woman finally. 'How much is rent?'

Lou raised one eyebrow. 'Do you have a job?'

A slight blush appeared on Maddie's cheeks.

'Not yet.', she admitted. 'but I can have the money ready in a few weeks.'  
Lou mauled this over in her head. She did not need the money and it felt wrong to take money from one of Debbie's friends, but the girl had offered, and Lou figured Maddie might like the feeling of contributing to the house.

'How about this', started Lou. 'My loft is big enough, so you can just take one of the extra bedrooms, wouldn't cost me extra, so no rent.'  
Maddie looked very wary of this proposal.

Lou continued. 'But maybe you can help out some nights, when it is busy at the club. Deal?'

Maddie nodded eagerly. 'Sure, I'll be there every night.'

Lou chuckled. 'That is not necessary, I bet you have a lot of plans and people to catch up to now you're out of prison.'  
Maddie focused on her cereal again and it confirmed Lou's feeling that there were not an awful lot of people Maddie could fall back on.

Maddie took a bite of strawberry and an almost obscene moan escaped her mouth.

'This is so much better than the prison food.', she smiled happily and the look on her face made Lou want to buy all the fresh fruit in the world.

'How long have you been in prison?', she pried tentatively.  
Maddie's smile completely disappeared from her face and she threw Lou a cautious look.

'Eight years in prison and one year of juvie before that.', said Maddie, her eyes on Lou's face, watching how she would react to that news.  
Lou let out a soft whistle. 'Nine years incarcerated.'  
She tried not to let her surprise be to evident on her face, but she had thought that the girl Debbie sent her way would have been more of a petty thief. She wondered how Debbie had come to be close to someone like Maddie.

'What did you do?', asked Lou. She could see the internal debate going on in Maddie's eyes, but the girl seemed to conclude that Lou was entitled to a bit more information.  
She nervously swirled her spoon around in the almost untouched bowl of cereal.

'I stabbed someone… and he died.', confessed Maddie.

Lou kept her voice even. 'What did he do?', she asked.  
Maddie seemed surprised by Lou's question, like she had expected a different response. Maybe that was why it took her a few seconds to formulate her answer. Her fingers clenched around the spoon but her eyes met Lou's.

'He tried to rape me.', she admitted. 'I could not let that happen again.'

'He had raped you before?', Lou asked with a bit of heat.  
Maddie just nodded, twirling the spoon so violently between her fingers that some drops of milk fell on the table.  
Lou sensed that Maddie did not want to talk about it and she felt bad for prying but she needed to know she could trust the girl. She tried to do some quick math in her head and realized that Maddie must have been incarcerated at seventeen. The rape must have taken place before that. Raping a minor was worse in her book than defending yourself. She also figured Debbie would not put her up with a dangerous criminal.

She surprised Maddie again with her next question. 'Did you tell Debbie the whole story?'  
Maddie nodded, looking at Lou as if she were a different species.  
Lou was satisfied with that answer. 'I trust Debbie's judgement, you don't have to tell more.'  
Relief flooded Maddie's face.

'Thank you', she said a bit hoarse.

'My pleasure', replied Lou. 'Also, I had a great time last night and I wouldn't object to it happening again, but under no circumstances do I want you to feel obliged to sleep in my bedroom. You'll have your own room, okay, I won't go in it without your permission.'  
This time a big genuine smile appeared on the redhead's face.

'You are amazing.', she said gratefully. 'Thank you so much.'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, this took me a long time to update! I wanted to write a chapter about Lou and Debbie and their past but it has been done so amazingly before by so many writers on this site that I had a hard time to write my own version of it. In the end a had to bring Maddie in, because she is easier for me to write. This isn't my best chapter but I hope you still like it. Next chapter will be up sooner.


	8. Left out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 'I am going to pack my bags. I'm taking this as my cue to leave. I don't know Maddie that well yet, but I know you and Lou and I know this is going to end in some really loud sex. I rather be with my children.'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is just filler and not even good filler but there is a short little bonus chapter to make up for it.

11 months before

Maddie walked in to the club and marveled at how different it looked in the day light. She was a bit early. She and Lou had agreed to meet up in the club, so Lou could show her the ropes. She could still not believe that Lou had offered her a place to stay until she was back on her feet. Hence, why she was early, she wanted to show Lou that she truly appreciated the gesture. Also, she was a bit at a loss what to do with all her new free time. She had forgotten how many hours there were in a day and how many choices there were to make.  
Some girl directed Maddie to Lou's office. The door was open, Lou was bent over some forms. She looked up and gestured for Maddie to come in.

'How was your day?', she asked, looking amazing in her velvet black vest.

Maddie shrugged. 'Fine.'  
Her day had kind of sucked, but she did not want to bother Lou with that. Honestly it was mostly her own fault. It had started on the subway, where Maddie had felt like everyone was watching her. She had the feeling that everyone could see that she had been in prison. She was a bit annoyed with herself for feeling so uncomfortable outside. She was finally free, something she had been waiting for nearly a decade and yet she was not happy. She was mostly frustrated with herself and on top of that Lee was gone.

'What did you do?', asked Lou.

'I visited my old neighborhood, trying to find my best friend', admitted Maddie. She was not big on sharing, but she wanted Lou to know that she was not some strange lonely girl. That she once actually had led a life. Lou had tried to hide it this morning, but Maddie knew she had found it sad that Maddie had no-one to turn to.

'Did you find them?', asked Lou.  
Maddie shook her head.

'No.', she sighed. 'His shop was closed, I think he might be in prison.'

Lou pressed her lips together. 'I'm sorry.'

'Not your fault', Maddie smiled.

'Shall I show you around?', asked Lou and Maddie liked how she changed the subject.  
She nodded.

Lou showed her the club and Maddie could feel how proud she was at her club. Afterwards they went to the bar and Lou herself showed her how to mix some of the cocktails.  
Soon, she found herself alone behind the bar and the endless demand for drinks kept her busy. The bass of the music made conversation hard, yet her mind did not wander off to Lee or Debbie or Scott. It was just trying to remember what went in a Moscow Mule and how you made the cinnamon shot. All the people at the other side of the bar looked happy and sweaty yet pretty in their going-out get up. Maddie had a surprisingly great time working the bar. She was surprised when Lou appeared at her side and asked her if she was ready to go home. It was already hours passed midnight and the club was slowly emptying.

'One of the perks of being the boss is that you don't have stay every night for clean-up', grinned Lou when they exited the club at the back door.

'I am not the boss though', noted Maddie.

'Well no, but I can hardly let you walk home', admitted Lou. 'Have you ever sat at the back of a bike?'

'No', admitted Maddie, accepting the extra helmet Lou offered. 'But I have ridden at the back of a Moped. That it kind of the same right?'  
Lou's eyes glistered.

'Hardly. But you'll see.'

\--

9 months before

It had been over two months, that Maddie was living with her and Lou was actually enjoying the company. She always prided herself on being a loner, being completely fine on her own. But sharing with Maddie, she found, she did not mind. The loft was big, so that certainly helped, and Maddie was not really a chatterbox, so that also worked in their favor.  
Yet there was something sweet about waking up and find a cup of coffee already waiting for you. About sitting on the couch reading a book, while someone else was next to you watching TV.  
She had also regained her love for cooking. She had always enjoyed making a meal from scratch, but she had never bothered to cook for one. Cooking for two was a lot more fun and Maddie was a great audience. She was easily impressed by the sauces Lou made, appreciated good flavors and was also eager to learn. Their evenings were spent in comfortable silence, where Lou was busy with the food on the stove, while Maddie was cutting up something, according to Lou's instructions.  
It was very different from living together with Debbie. It was definitely less exciting, but also less tense. Debbie always had the habit of nagging Lou, always asking just a little too much from her. Maddie had absolutely no expectations of Lou. Lou knew it was a bit cowardly, not engaging in deep conversation with Maddie, but if Maddie shared with her, she should share back. So they both lived together never going beneath the surface, never prying on each other.  
And it was not like it was not intimate. For one thing, they had sex, which was pretty intimate. Secondly, they worked and lived together in very close proximity, they picked up on things. Lou knew Maddie was an early riser, Maddie knew Lou liked to watch documentaries about hospitals. Lou noticed that Maddie had missed eating fresh fruit and bought a lot of smoothies and Maddie noticed Lou liked to drink a glass of scotch in the evening.  
They were close but also closed off.

\--

Present

'But what did you talk about?', asked Debbie exasperated, unpacking the groceries. Lou shrugged.

'We talked about the movies we watched, the concerts we went to, Deb.'

Debbie raised her hands in exasperation. 'I cannot believe that you did not tell her about your parents.'

'Well, it isn't my favorite subject', said Lou sharply. 'And she wasn't flooding me with information either', she defended herself. 'I only recently found out about Melody.'

Debbie shook her head in disbelief. 'You've been hooking up with this girl for months and you only recently found out she has a goddaughter.'

Lou could not completely keep her irritation out of her voice. 'Well, be glad you did not miss out on our bonding, you can witness all that in the flesh.'  
Debbie seemed to sense she had touched a nerve and switched the subject.

'How did you manage to end up with Maddie in your bed after only a few hours. You must have mad game.', Debbie wondered out loud.

'Well, obviously.', smirked Lou, indicating at her body with her free hand. 'I'm hard to resist.'  
She looked at Debbie and continued more serious: 'Honestly it was not that hard. I saw a pretty girl in my club and she bought me a drink. She was the one making the first move. I think she was pretty in to me.'

'I don't blame her.', smirked the brunette. 'It took me months before she noticed me as a sexual being', she sighed.

\---

Five years and three months ago

'Hi there, stranger', said Maddie, when a familiar figure appeared in the doorway. She felt relieved that Debbie was back. The woman had been away in solitary for over two weeks, way longer than the first time she went, and Maddie had not been completely sure if or when her bunkie would return. She had grown fond of her cellmate in the past nine months and would hate it if she would have gotten another cellmate.

'You are on my bed.', noted Debbie and she pulled Maddie arms so she stood up from her bed. Maddie cooperated.

'I missed you', said Debbie, surprising Maddie by pulling her even further and in to a hug. She and Debbie were close, sure, but they were not the kind of people that hugged each other. Until now.  
'I missed you a lot.', murmured Debbie, nuzzling her face in Maddie's neck. Maddie was even more surprised when Debbie's hand slipped into the back of her shirt, exploring the skin underneath it. When Debbie started to suck on a soft spot on the neck she had buried her face in, Maddie was pretty sure what her intentions were.

'I think you have just been lonely down in the hole.', said Maddie, amused and maybe a little distracted by Debbie's hand on her back underneath her bra.  
Debbie's mouth was working its way up to her face and Maddie felt her body tingle in anticipation.  
'Did you miss me or just people in general?', asked Maddie, caressing Debbie's cheek with her thumb. She was absolutely not opposed to what Debbie was suggesting, but she was not about to become an easy fuck for a lonely woman.

'No.', said Debbie, her face so close that Maddie could feel her hot breath. 'I missed a certain redheaded person, who snores just a little and has the greatest ideas to get you thrown in solitary.'

'Sounds like me.', smirked Maddie and Debbie surprised her yet again by crashing her lips on hers. Maddie stood frozen for a few seconds, trying to understand what was happening, and then she regained herself. She eagerly replied the kiss. Her blood was rushing through her veins like crazy. Debbie was just so willing, it was hot. Debbie was pressed all up against her body, hands groping her ass and back, trying to get their bodies even closer.  
Maddie knew that this was mostly happening because Debbie must have been craving human contact after weeks in solitary, but she was not complaining. It was not like she was not starved for some affection.  
Their kissing was not very heated, they just kept close. It felt great and Maddie felt herself become wet.  
She became even wetter when Debbie whispered in her ear: 'I want you to fuck me.'  
Maddie grinned. 'That can be arranged', she said, tightening her grip on Debbie's ass.  
That night they had sex for the first time.

\---

 

Present

Debbie did not know why she was so mad that Lou and Maddie did not know that much about each other, but while Lou was making dinner the atmosphere remained tense. Maybe she was just a bit more nervous about this relationship with three than she had initially thought.  
When Tammy and Maddie came home from their shopping trip with way more bags than just jewelry-shopping would suggest, Tammy immediately picked up on the lingering tension.

'What are you fighting about?', she enquired innocently, grabbing a piece of cucumber from a bowl.

'Nothing', said Lou quickly, but Debbie was not having it. She shot Lou a look and decided to inform both Maddie and Tammy about her frustrations. She figured that Tammy was the only one who would back her up.

'We were talking about how it is completely insane that Lou and Maddie have been together for months without sharing the most basic of details. Like Maddie doesn't even know why Lou moved from Australia to the States and Lou has no idea why Maddie always goes out when she hosts one of her poker games.'  
Debbie nodded towards the green felt table in the corner of Lou's loft.

'Debbie', growled Lou warningly.

'I know', said Maddie confidently from the corner, she had hoisted herself up on the counter. 'Lou left Australia because there was no one there for her.'  
Debbie and Lou raised their eyebrows in surprise.

Lou found her voice first. 'And Maddie doesn't like my poker games because her dad was addicted to gambling', she guessed.  
They shared a little smile when they found out that they knew more about each other than they thought.

'We pick up on things, Deb', Maddie said softly. 'But we need your nagging personality to get us to talk.'

'Problem solved, you're welcome', said Tammy smugly, snagging a piece of tomato from Lou's cutting board, a bold move considering Lou was holding a big knife.

'If you want my advice- and by now you should know that I am always right - you just need to get them drunk and they will talk way more easily. Works with my kids every time', she joked. She walked towards the stairs.

'Where are you going?', asked Debbie surprised.

'I am going to pack my bags. I'm taking this as my cue to leave. I don't know Maddie that well yet, but I know you and Lou and I know this is going to end in some really loud sex. I rather be with my children.'  
Three pairs of eyes followed the mom until she walked into the bedroom.

Maddie was slowly nodding her head in appreciation. 'I quite like Tammy.', she announced.  
Lou turned towards Debbie.

'You want to tell us what is going on?', she asked.

Debbie sucked on her lip. 'I dunno', she shrugged. 'I am just frustrated on all the time I missed out on in prison. I want to move quickly, I guess. I want us to be on the same level.'  
Lou's expression softened.

'Honestly, I think we were holding back a little, because we didn't want to start without you', said Maddie from her corner.  
Debbie let out a frustrated laugh.

'I know I am being silly', she admitted. 'I know, it is just that since prison I always feel left out, like everyone has been talking about me and yet…'

'…Yet like everyone stopped caring about you', finished Maddie her sentence. 'I know, Deb.'  
She walked over towards Debbie and took both her hands in her hands.

'I know Deb, because I felt just the same when I was released eleven months ago. We share this experience, remember.'

Debbie chuckled a bit embarrassed. 'God, does everyone has to be right today?'  
Maddie silenced her with a long kiss.

'I think we are all on the same level already, Deb', said Lou, who was suddenly standing very close. 'You feel left out because you missed out on us the last few months, I feel left out because I did not share the prison experience and Maddie feels left out because she knows us the shortest.'

'Stop being right.', whined Debbie and honestly, she did not give Lou any other choice but to silence her with a long kiss as well.

'We are really fucking cheesy right now', admitted Debbie.

Lou nodded. 'I know, I am almost nauseous by so much sweetness.' She grinned devilishly.  
'Luckily we are gonna fuck each other's brain out tonight, that makes it even.'

'Jeez, my poor eyes.', interrupted Tammy, she walked into the kitchen, dragging a suitcase behind her. 'Keep your clothes on for another minute please.'  
She walked over to Maddie and pressed a kiss on her cheek very fondly.  
'Bye Maddie, nice meeting you. Feel free to call me if you ever want to complain about these to nutters.'  
Maddie looked pleasantly surprised by Tammy's affection.

'Thanks', she replied, blushing slightly.  
Tammy raised her arm in a wave.

'Bye you guys, love you.', with those words she left the building, slamming the door with a loud bang  
Maddie stared after her.

'She is really a lot less dull than she looks like at first glance.', she said with respect lacing her voice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for your kudos <3


	9. I love you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Of course it was Debbie who said it first.

Of course it was Debbie who said it first. It was only two weeks after the heist and the three women had settled in a routine in Lou's loft. They never really spoke about their relationship-status again, since their "fight" on their first night alone. They just winged it in a way only they could.  
Maddie had gone into Lou's bedroom with three mugs of steaming coffee and she had not been surprised to find Debbie awake in Lou's bed. They all had their own bedrooms, but often they would all end up in Lou's gigantic bed. Other days Lou had to work late, and Maddie would just slip into Debbie's bed for the night and sometimes Debbie and Lou shared the bed.  
Maddie gave a coffee to Debbie, who happily took a sip.

'Thanks. I love you.', she said. Maddie froze in her actions. Debbie's tone was light, it had felt the most natural to say. But when she saw Maddie's reaction, she realized that this was the first time she had actually said the words out loud.  
Debbie repeated herself, more serious this time. 'I love you. And I love Lou too.'  
Maddie felt her chest fill itself with emotion.

'I love Lou too', said Maddie, settling herself on the bed. 'And I love you.' She locked eyes with Debbie, smiling shyly.

'I hate the both of you', came a grumble from Lou's side of the bed. 'and the fact that you function so well in the early morning.' Lou rolled over on her side and snatched her mug out of Maddie's hand. She drowned half of its content.

'And that both of you always steal my shirts.', she continued her complaining. Debbie and Maddie shared a guilty grin as they looked at each other's pajamas. Debbie was in one of Lou's button downs and Maddie was wearing one of Lou's t-shirts.  
Lou sat up on her knees. 'But the fact that I have not killed you for waking me up after only' -she glanced at the clock- 'four hours of sleep, should prove to you that I do love you'. She leaned forward and kissed Debbie softly on the lips. 'And I love you.', she now turned to Maddie and kissed her softly on the lips too.

She tugged at the shirt Maddie was wearing. 'But I believe this is mine.' Maddie chuckled and lifted her arms, so Lou could reclaim her shirt. The shirt however was quickly tossed aside, and Lou focused on the exposed flesh. Her hands wandered over Maddie's body.  
'What a sight to wake up to', she hummed happily.  
Debbie joined the fun, more hands now exploring Maddie's stomach and breasts.  
Maddie felt herself pressed between Lou' and Debbie's bodies and she could not help the smile from appearing on her face. She still could not believe that she was on the receiving end of so much love.  
'Oi, that is mine too.', said Lou and she reached past Maddie to work on the buttons of Debbie's night shirt. Once Lou had undressed both women, who had interrupted her short night of sleep to drink coffee in her bed, she took of her own shirt. She locked eyes with Debbie and they communicated with their eyes, in a way only they could, after years of knowing each other. It was clear what Lou meant, they wanted -and needed- to show Maddie how much they loved her.  
'May I?', Lou asked Maddie, tracing the words tattooed under the young woman's boobs with her finger. Maddie nodded wordlessly, too overwhelmed with emotion to speak. She did not have the words to express how much she loved Lou in that moment. How she loved that Lou always asked. She just wrapped her arms around Lou and kissed her with urgency. Their teeth clashed and their tongues eagerly explored each other's mouth until they had to come up for air. Debbie immediately stepped in when the other two stopped kissing. Gently lowering down Maddie on her back on the bed, peppering her with kisses, wet open-mouthed kisses over her breasts, slowly exploring her way up to Maddie's neck. Lou meanwhile was focusing on the lower part of Maddie's body, her tongue leaving wet trails on Maddie's thighs. Maddie let out some soft whimpers, her hand went up to her mouth to stifle them.  
Debbie caught her hand before she could complete the action.

'No babe', she said kindly, placing a kiss on the hand she just caught. 'We want to hear you.'  
Maddie looked at her with confusion. Debbie kissed her softly on the lips and then whispered: 'we're not in prison anymore. You can be as loud as you want.'  
Maddie gave her a small nod and Debbie was sure it was the cutest nod she had ever seen.  
Big hazel eyes were watching her every move and widened in arousal when Debbie started playing with her nipples. A soft moan came from Maddie's mouth when Lou finally reached her vagina.  
Maddie clasped her eyes shut and let herself be taken in the feeling of the two women she loved worshipping her body. She never ever in her life had felt so loved or wanted.

After giving Maddie one of the best orgasms of her life, Lou made her way up Maddie's body again. Maddie was still laying with her eyes shut, panting heavily, her lip between her teeth. It was adorable.  
Debbie seemed to think the same thing, her eyes fixated on Maddie's face, a soft smile on her own. She was absent-mindedly playing with the red curls.  
Maddie felt Lou laying down behind her. Her body still tingled from the mind-blowing orgasm and now she was pressed between Debbie and Lou in a big soft bed.  
She felt her throat clinch and before she knew it, she started crying. She buried her face in Debbie's shoulder in front of her.  
She could not even explain why she cried. She was not upset, she was just overwhelmed.

Lou saw the surprise on Debbie's face when Maddie practically banged her head into the brunette's shoulder and started crying. Debbie, looking quite emotional herself after their soft lovemaking, gently stroked Maddie's hair.

'Talk to us, love.', she said, but Maddie could not utter a coherent sentence. Lou just caught the words love, never and I. Debbie seemed to understand though.  
She pressed a soft kiss on Maddie's head and looked over the red curls at Lou. Lou could see that Debbie's eyes were glistering suspiciously.  
'Tell her that we love her and that we will never betray her.', she said to Lou. Lou raised her eyebrows, because clearly Debbie had already said it and Maddie must have heard since she was laying even closer to Debbie than she was.  
Nevertheless, she complied, scooting somehow even closer to Maddie, spooning the girl.

'We love you and we will never betray you.', she spoke into Maddie's ear.  
Maddie let out a small watery laugh in Debbie's shoulder, still a bit embarrassed about her outburst. She sounded happy though.  
They laid like that for a while, their bodies pressed close together. It was warm and Lou's arm started to tingle uncomfortably, but it felt so damn right.  
 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave some comments, let me know what you like to see happening in this story. <3


	10. rooftop

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Debbie did not answer but instead staggered to the bathroom. Lou listened to Debbie heaving in the toilet and felt a bit of reassurance that she was still the best drinker. Debbie’s hangover was definitely worse than hers and Lou had certainly not been as drunk as Maddie yesterday. It was not a competition but if it were, she would have won.
> 
> She leaned against the bathroom doorframe, watching how Debbie rinsed her mouth.
> 
> ‘So how did your masterplan of getting us to talk work out for you?’, Lou asked, with a crude smile.
> 
> Debbie grabbed her toothbrush. ‘Well, you both talked so I’m not complaining.’

Present

 

Harsh sunlight penetrated the dark room and with a grunt Debbie woke up. Her head pounded, and she started to regret her decisions last night. She felt Lou stirring behind her and heard Maddie turning on the shower.

‘How is she moving already?’, grumbled Lou. Debbie turned over and saw that Lou’s eyes were a bit bloodshot.

‘I don’t know’, replied Debbie, her voice hoarse. ‘She seemed pretty drunk last night.’

She tried to remember last night but was not totally clear on what happened. She remembered drinking a lot of alcohol and she remembered them having a good talk and she remembered having a lot of fun and yet she could not imagine how having fun felt like.

‘I refuse to be old.’, said Lou with determination as she sat up in the bed. Her hair was poking out at all sides and there was a bit of smudged mascara underneath her eyes. She did a brave attempt of getting out of bed and putting on some clothes. Debbie was impressed but she could see that Lou was not moving as quickly as usual.

‘Your head hurts’, she noted.

‘Well duh.’, replied Lou. ‘You gonna move?’

Debbie shook her head and immediately regretted that movement when a wave of nausea hit her. ‘Nuh-uh, I’m gonna lay here until this is all over.’

 

Maddie walked in, wrapped in a towel.

‘I don’t feel so good.’, she complained, bending forwards to wring out her hair. Lou threw her a strict look.

‘You don’t get to complain’, Lou told her. ‘Wait till you’re our age and see how you like your hangover then.’

Maddie let out a devilish grin. ‘Alright grandma, don’t be so touchy.’

‘I’m not touchy, I’m in agony’, replied Lou throwing a shirt over her head. ‘And I was not the one puking my guts out last night.’

Debbie briefly wondered if she was the one who had thrown up, but her mouth felt relatively fresh. Suddenly an image of Maddie splattering her stomach’s contents on the ground outside Lou’s club popped up in her brain.

Debbie pointed at Maddie. ‘You are a very sloppy drunk’, she announced.

‘You never knew how to hold your booze down.’, she continued. ‘Remember your 24thbirthday?’

Maddie groaned. ‘How could I forget?’

‘Please, enlighten me’, said Lou, sensing that this was a story she could tease Maddie with.

‘She and some of the girls had decided that it was necessary to get wasted on Maddie’s birthday.’, told Debbie, closing her eyes, trying to ignore the pounding in her head. ‘So someone fixed some homemade prison booze, you know because the options in jail are limited.’

Lou nodded.

‘Well, long story short Maddie had her head down in the toilet in our cell for most of the night.’

‘Aha’, grinned Lou. ‘So you have always been a lightweight?’

‘I think it may have had something to do with the fact that hooch is mostly rotten fruit.’, defended Maddie herself, while searching for something in the closet.

‘That is my shirt’, said Lou when Maddie pulled one of her t-shirts out of the closet.

‘Yes, I figured’, replied Maddie cheekily, pulling the long shirt over her head. ‘This is your room.’

‘Aren’t you a delight this morning.’, noted Lou drily. ‘Go make your cheery self useful and make us some bacon and eggs.’, suggested Lou and she ushered the woman out of the room with a few gentle taps on her behind. Maddie turned around at the doorstep and pressed a kiss on Lou’s lips, wincing slightly at the morning breath.

‘Alright then’, she said before she walked away.

Debbie felt the bed shift when Lou sat down at the corner. The blonde woman was staring at the pants in her hands as if they were offending her.

‘Where did we go wrong last night?’, wondered Debbie out loud.

Lou’s head slowly turned in her direction. ‘I think it might have been a mistake that our “night” started at two in the afternoon.’, she said. She seemed to have made up her mind about the pants. ‘I think I’m gonna forego pants today, Maddie inspired me’, she announced, tossing them in the corner.

 

\-- 

One day before

 

‘I bought you a present’, said Debbie, dropping a bag in Maddie’s lap. Maddie lazily sat up, putting her sunglasses on her head. She cocked an eyebrow.

‘You _bought_ me a present?’, she asked in mock-disbelief. Debbie flashed an innocent smile and dropped down on the sunbed next to Maddie. They were on the rooftop terrace of the loft.

‘Maybe I didn’t pay for it.’, she confessed.

She watched how Maddie pulled the white shirt from the bag.

‘Great, a white shirt’, noted Lou, looking up from her travel guide. ‘She did not have one of those yet.’

She was being sarcastic, knew Debbie, because Maddie’s closet mostly consisted out of white tops. She was not complaining, however, because Maddie looked good in them.

‘Don’t be jealous’, she told Lou, walking over to her. ‘I brought you something too.’ She gestured to the other bag she was holding. It contained some bottles of rum and other stuff for cocktails.

Lou grabbed the bag and looked at its contents.

‘If I understand correctly, you bring nice clothes for Maddie and you bring extra work for me?’, she fake-pouted, because making cocktails had never been Debbie’s strong suit.

‘You understand correctly,’ replied Debbie cheerily. ‘I thought we could hang out up here and get wasted.’

‘It is barely afternoon’, said Lou.

Debbie flashed a smile. ‘Who cares?’

 

\--

 

Present

 

‘Are you coming for breakfast or not?’, questioned Lou.

‘I hate your cocktails’, was Debbie’s answer, she was still in bed. Lou huffed.

‘That is not what you said yesterday’, she said, remembering how Debbie had downed her caipirinhas like they were lemonade.

Debbie did not answer but instead staggered to the bathroom. Lou listened to Debbie heaving in the toilet and felt a bit of reassurance that she was still the best drinker. Debbie’s hangover was definitely worse than hers and Lou had certainly not been as drunk as Maddie yesterday. It was not a competition but if it were, she would have won.

She leaned against the bathroom doorframe, watching how Debbie rinsed her mouth.

‘So how did your masterplan of getting us to talk work out for you?’, Lou asked, with a crude smile.

Debbie grabbed her toothbrush. ‘Well, you both talked so I’m not complaining.’

 

 

\--

 

One day before  


‘Imagine if you had a pool up here’, said Debbie, looking up at Lou in her chair. Debbie had put a towel on the concrete and was lying in the sun. Lou looked at Debbie in her bikini and had to agree, her rooftop was still a work in progress. Maddie was slowly dancing on the background music, sipping her drink.

‘I like the roof’, she announced, with a slight slur.

They were only on their third caipirinha but Maddie already seemed pretty tipsy. Lou shared an amused smile with Debbie as the younger woman walked over to Lou’s chair and suddenly sat down in her lap. Her legs on both sides of Lou and her arms over Lou’s shoulders.

‘To what do I owe this pleasure?’, asked Lou with raised eyebrows. She grabbed the bare lower back of Maddie, to steady the girl.

Maddie nuzzled her neck. ‘This is my favorite place to sit’, she giggled.

Debbie was observing Maddie’s behavior and seemed to make up her mind. She sat up.

‘We should play a game’, she said brightly. ‘How about never did I ever?’

Lou easily caught on to Debbie’s intentions. ‘Your questions better not go like “never have I ever been abandoned by my parents” or something’, she warned.

Debbie’s face fell slightly. ‘Come on, a little bit of talking is good for us.’, she pleaded.

Maybe it was the alcohol or Maddie sitting in her lap, but Lou was so relaxed right now, she did not feel like objecting.

‘Alright’, she agreed dramatically. ‘If it makes you happy. But you better get me some shots.’

‘Yes shots’, cried Maddie happily, not fully listening to the conversation. ‘We should do body shots. I’m wearing an expensive necklace.’

She gestured to the body chain she was wearing underneath her white bralette.

‘You can suck it out of my belly button’, she whispered seductively in her ear.

Lou shook her head at Maddie’s behavior.

‘Do you always get this randy when you drink?’, she questioned.

‘Maybe’, said Maddie in a sloppy-sexy voice, sucking hard on Lou’s neck.

Debbie returned with a bottle of tequila.

‘What are we talking about?’, she asked.

‘Lou thinks I’m a total slut when I drink’, announced Maddie pouting.

Lou gently shook Maddie’s shoulder.

‘That is not what I said.’, she defended herself, while Debbie poured three shots.

‘So when did you get drunk for the first time?’, Debbie askedlightly.

Lou rolled her eyes and quickly downed her shot. She looked at Maddie and decided to drink her shot as well, figuring she needed it more than the girl. Debbie was looking at her with pleading eyes and Lou caved in.

‘My first time was when I stole two cans of beer from my dad and drank them when I was eleven.’, she confessed.  
Maddie sat up in surprise. ‘Why did you steal beer from your dad?’, she asked.

Lou shrugged.

‘They stood in the fridge. I was not allowed to have them, so naturally I wanted to try.’, she explained, trying to position her head so that Maddie’s curls were not tickling her nose.

‘Maddie, dear, do you mind’, she complained, gently pushing the girl of her lap. ‘You are too hot.’

‘I hear that all the time’, bragged Maddie, sliding of Lou’s lap and sitting down next to Debbie on the ground. ‘My first time was just in the park with a bunch of my friends when I was thirteen.’, she said.

‘You two are bad’, laughed Debbie. ‘I was drunk for the first time when I was _fifteen_. Like a normal teenager.’

‘Like a boring teenager’, objected Lou. ‘was that the time that Danny tried to get you drunk at your parents’ anniversary?’

Debbie grinned guiltily. ‘Yup.’

‘Okay, body shots!’, shouted Maddie, pushing Debbie gently down on her back. Lou watched amused, feeling slightly tipsy herself after the shots. She figured that drinking from Debbie’s stomach would get Maddie less drunk than drinking whole shots. Also, it was Debbie’s own fault that Maddie was like this.

Maddie poured some tequila in Debbie’s belly button and sucked it off. Debbie played along, apparently quite amused by Maddie’s behavior. The redheaded woman looked at Debbie’s body with a slight frown.

‘Why don’t you have any tattoo’s?’, she asked.

‘I don’t like needles’, replied Debbie. ‘Why do you have so many?’

Maddie smiled happily. ‘Because of Lee.’

‘Lee, your ex?’, questioned Lou, because she had heard the name before.  
Maddie giggled. ‘Lee is not my ex’, she said. ‘He is my best friend and my best tattoo-artist.’

Debbie glanced at Lou. ‘You thought Lee was her ex?’, she said surprised.

‘Partners in crime often evolve into just partners, right?’, Lou said, wiggling her eyebrows.

‘I suppose.’, replied the brunette with a smile, handing Lou a new shot.

‘I like your tattoo.’, she said, softly touching the tattoo on Lou’s upper arm.

‘Thanks’, said Lou, downing her shot. ‘I got it at the one-year anniversary of my club. It is the chemical symbol for alcohol.’

‘I knew it was new’, said Debbie with a slight hint of longing. ‘It wasn’t there before…’

Lou was still on the Lee-thing. ‘Lee is just a friend then, never a hook up in the high after a completed heist?’, she asked.

Maddie giggled. ‘No, I think I’m the only girl he didn’t fuck and therefor the only girl he could maintain a relationship with that took longer than a year.’, she said.

‘Also, I’m gay, you know’, Maddie continued, gesturing between herself and Debbie and Lou.

Lou raised her hands in defeat. ‘Okay, point taken’, she said. ‘Nothing romantic between you and Lee. Pardon me for being open-minded.’

Maddie was on her knees next to Lou’s chair, her head very close to her own.

‘Very. Gay’, she whispered, punctuating her words by kissing Lou, breathing hot rum-breath in her face.

Lou shook her head and looked at Debbie, while gently swatting Maddie’s hand away from her breasts.

‘Did you know she get like this?’, she questioned Debbie. The brunette just flipped her hair back, not bothering to reply.

‘Maddie, why don’t you tell Lou about the scar in your eyebrow.’, she said instead.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided to cut this chapter in two because otherwise it will be too long, hope the ending is not to abrupt.


End file.
